I was really hyped for this one, as I’m a huge sucker for romances involving the desert and princesses. (I don’t quite know why, desert romances just seem sexier for some reason to me? Weird, I know, let’s carry on.)

I did like the book overall but not going to lie, it didn’t stun me. Firstly, the plot was pretty straightforward. While I liked the twist on the Lady or the Tiger tale, the plot didn’t have any big twists or anything to surprise the reader. So it reads like a pretty straightforward fairy tale. Not bad, but a bit lukewarm for such an exciting premise. Really, this book could have been amped up in so many ways.

For example, I was totally let down by the romance. For two people who are supposed to end up digging each other, the two main characters don’t have a lot of zing moments throughout the book. I’m all for a slow burn romance but there should still be zings you know?!? But nary a zing or spark was found and so when things finally did heat up, I just wasn’t that invested. This probably is a side effect of me reading too many steamy romances…I’m used to a lot of sparks and teasing to get to the good stuff. But this book? No sparks and the good stuff ain’t that good.

Overall, I think it’s still a good adventure story and I admire Sullivan for building a really strong female lead. I mean, this girl was willing to fight herself into the ground just to avoid marrying some idiot. So props for that. But the book just wasn’t engaging enough for me to give it 5 stars.

* I was provided an arc by NetGalley in exchange for a review*

4.5 stars for this wonderful story.

In a world where duologies and series dominate, it is so refreshing to find a good standalone book. This book is really well written and beautiful. I found it to be very poetic in its own way, and I loved the story. It’s almost like Jasmine from Aladdin meets Peter Pan in the desert. Just a really great action packed YA novel.

In the desert kingdom of Achra, weakness is not tolerated and no one knows this better than Princess Kateri, who must prove her worth in the arena and win the right to rule. Her father distant and harsh like the desert has made Kateri train her whole life for this moment and she is determined to win and keep her promise to her deceased mother to look after their people. However, this desire is thwarted time and time again by the desert boys - outcasts, who killed Kateri's mother and steal water from the drought plagued kingdom. Driven to win and find fight against the desert boys, Kateri is betrayed by those close to her and turns to the desert for a solution. Here, Kateri learns that her father's kingdom is not what it seems and that she has lived in ignorance for her entire life as her greatest foe turns out to be an ally.

There are some aspects of this book that I really enjoyed. I for one am a huge fan of books that feature arenas. Kateri in order to win her throne must fight a suitor each month for an entire year. The book opens with her first fight against a potential suitor and afterwards, her father announces that his trusted captain of guard will be the final one. He is much more skilled father than Kateri, who knows she will lose against him. Determined to win, she escapes into the desert to learn from the leader of the desert boys, Cion, who's fight ability is legendary and people whisper that he can split a rice grain in half when thrown into the air. Cion agrees to train her because he wants to end the oppressive regime of her father and believes that Kateri is the best way to do this. As she trains, Kateri finally realizes that the desert boys are not the enemy she made them out to be and that her father lied to her about many things.

On the whole I liked the environment and the setting that Sullivan created, however, Kateri as a character was one dimensional. Even though, she did grow and realize that her father was tyrant, it felt typical and a little forced when she decided to rebel against her father. In some ways, Kateri like other young adult protagonist are kinda like pre-made characters in a video game, who all have a similar backstory and personality, which the authors changes a bit. Sometimes they feel super original and sometimes they feel like five other heroines from various titles and to me, Kateri falls into the latter category. While, I love some elements of the story and characters, Kateri is not memorable to me. However, read the story for the world building and because it's based on a not well known mythology.

Thank you to Blink and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book.

First of all, the character building in this book is fantastic. I couldn't stand Kateri and her oblivious and spoiled nature. However, she evolved so much throughout the book and understood her people's struggles as she soon began to live them. The change was wonderful to see and I felt like it taught a great lesson. We don't know how much other people struggle until we are in their shoes. She also was fierce and brave and fought for what was right. Cion was a kind companion for her and I appreciated the subtle romance. This was a bit hard to get into at first but I ended up enjoying it. The desert palace of Achra and the desert itself were intriguing settings that held grand adventures. The sword fighting scenes were really fun and I enjoyed the sand incorporation in the fighting. The author put some really interesting details about how to survive this mythical desert and I thought that was a cool touch! This is an adventurous book filled with change, hope, betrayal and braveness and I think readers will love it!

The Tiger Queen
Annie Sullivan
http://gwendalynbooks.wordpress.com
http://Instagram.com/gwendalyn_books_

This book was received as an ARC from NetGalley ,in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own

The Tiger Queen, by Annie Sullivan is a creative retelling of Frank Stocktons famous short story.
Sullivan’s mythical desert kingdom, Achra ,comes to life under exceptional world building. Princess Kateri , must become a fierce fighter to save her people from being enslaved. Fast paced with detailed combating scene makes this a an enjoyable fantasy.
Sullivan’s interesting characters and lots of mystery and twist makes for a thrilling book.

I just reviewed Tiger Queen by Annie Sullivan. #TigerQueen #NetGalley
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Princess Kateri lives in Archra, a drought-stricken desert world. Water is severely rationed, there is a two-child limit, and they people of the city are menaced by the Desert Boys, who come into the city to steal their water. The punishment for stealing is to be flung into the arena and forced to choose between two doors: behind one is freedom, the other a tiger.

Kateri is in the middle of battling for her right to rule. She must face suitors in the arena and fight them to prove that she is strong enough to be queen. When her last opponent is announced, she knows she can never win. She flees for her life, running to the desert to ally with the one person she thought she’d never turn to: Cion, the head of the Desert Boys. In the desert, she trains for her life and her right to live. She also learns a terrible truth that turns her world upside down.

Overall, I liked this book. It wasn’t the best and it was very simplistic and a little rushed. The beginning was very hard to get through because the king and his head guard, Rodric, were so incredibly vile. They were over-the-top villains who only needed mustaches to twirl. They weren’t very interesting either, just brutal bullies and they weren’t fun to read about.

Things pick up when Kateri runs to the desert and trains with Cion. I really liked everything to do with the Desert Boys and their lives. While I liked the romance that grew between the two main characters, I did feel it was a little rushed and underdeveloped. If the book was longer, maybe there would have been more time to flesh it out.

If you’re looking for an interesting, quick read about a princess who fights and is smart, then this is the book for you.

Princess Kateri is strong and fearless with only one goal in mind — become queen and defeat the Desert Boys to save her people from the drought that has ravaged her once lush oasis. When Kateri shows weakness before her father, she finds herself in an impossible situation — she must seek the help of the Desert Boys she hates. Kateri must choose between following the path she has owned for so long, or placing her trust in another and forging her own future.

Tiger Queen is full of heart and fury — a must read!

A very interesting take on a previous short story. I liked the direction that the author takes the story on. It is a little slow in places which seems like filler. If you like authors Rae Carson or Andrew Shvarts. I think the author ties up the story well and readers will like the backdrop of the novel.

So while I defiantly figured out the way this was going to go (I never read the book or short story it was based off) I really enjoyed it!

Annie Sullivan's sophomore novel is action-packed, fast-paced, and delivers on the promise of its sand-swept fantasy setting.

That said, the book just wasn't for me. I've read so much recent YA with badass princesses and gritty fantasy that it's hard to see what sets this apart.

I found the writing very tiresome. The imagery just didn't come to life for me, and the sentences were often awkward or confusing. The characters weren't very complex and that made the whole story quite predictable.

Tiger Queen is based on a classic short story and does a great job transforming the source material, but probably would have been better to stick with the short format. Tiger Queen might have been a lot stronger as a short story or a novella.

My full review will be posted closer to the release date, but this was a solid three stars: perfectly serviceable, but not noteworthy in quality and not for me.

"Princess Kateri as she fights suitors in an arena to win the right to rule her desert kingdom..." How could you not love this novel JUST based on that sentence alone? Tiger Queen is a wildly imaginative, invigorating book; Annie Sullivan weaves an excellent tale and puts a new twist on an old story.

In Achra sixteen-year-old Princess Kateri must win a series of battles to secure her place on the throne. When she is met with the final battle her father decides that the tyrant who is her trainer will be her final suitor. Under his rule Achra will crumble. She knows that to best him she must take extraordinary measures. She must find the Desert Boys who killed her mother and brother. When the Desert Boys accuse her father of controlling the drought, she knows that is just not possible. Or, is it?

This wonderful fantasy by Annie Sullivan will grasp readers attention. The main characters are complex and face the truth to become great. The action scenes are fast paced and flow well. This is a great read alike for fans of the Rebel of the Sands, Royal Bastards, Fire and Thorns, or Flame in the Mist. Review copy provided by NetGalley and Blink.

I received an e-ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Title Tiger Queen

Author Annie Sullivan

Release Date September 10, 2019

Description from Amazon

In the mythical desert kingdom of Achra, an ancient law forces sixteen-year-old Princess Kateri to fight in the arena to prove her right to rule. For Kateri, winning also means fulfilling a promise to her late mother that she would protect her people, who are struggling through windstorms and drought. The situation is worsened by the gang of Desert Boys that frequently raids the city wells, forcing the king to ration what little water is left. The punishment for stealing water is a choice between two doors: behind one lies freedom, and behind the other is a tiger.

But when Kateri’s final opponent is announced, she knows she cannot win. In desperation, she turns to the desert and the one person she never thought she’d side with. What Kateri discovers twists her world—and her heart—upside down. Her future is now behind two doors—only she’s not sure which holds the key to keeping her kingdom and which releases the tiger.

Initial Thoughts

I love retellings of classic stories. There’s something fascinating about familiarity mixed with a new spin. Tiger Queen is a retelling of The Lady, or the Tiger by Frank Stockton. Before I read this, it reminded me of a dangerous game of Let’s Make a Deal (that reference might be too old for some readers 😉). In both stories, the basic idea is that there are two doors, behind one, is a tiger, ready to devour the criminal, behind the other, is a prize of sorts, representing freedom. Justice is in the hands of the criminal and theoretically, freedom is always on the table.

Favorite Character

Cion – it was obvious (to me at least) from the beginning of the story that the Desert Boys were a vilified group who were actually trying to help the people. Kateri had been blinded by her Father and Roderic’s ideas about them.

I thought Cion was too good for Kateri (at least in the beginning of the story). She was pretty bratty about her kingdom and how dare they steal from her (and the usual nonsense someone who is brainwashed spouts). But even after, she was still pretty cold.

Cion, however, was trying to teach her about family, love, and working together, despite how Kateri acted. In my opinion, it took too long for Kateri to realize how good he was.

Final Thoughts

So glad this didn’t end like the original story (I hate cliffhangers). I really did like the ending.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Recommendations for Further Reading

The Assassin’s Curse and The Pirate’s Wish by Cassandra Rose Clarke
Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
Dividing Eden and Even Conquered by Joelle Charbonneau

This book was fast paced and thrilling from beginning to end. Tiger Queen is beautifully written and captivating. Annie Sullivan keeps you guessing throughout the book. I loved all of the characters in this book and found myself rooting for them until the very end. I highly recommend this book to any fantasy reader looking for a fresh new take on a fairy tale retelling.

This novel was a great read! I could not put it down! Ms. Sullivan weaves an excellent tale. The story is it’s own and brings in a choice, which door to choose where one is freedom and the other , the tiger. Not all is as it appears in the kingdom of Achra. People are suffering from water rations due to a drought. The Desert Boys are stealing the water. Princess Kateri believed many things about what she had been told until her last opponent to defeat was the man she despised and who she could not beat, for he declared the desert chose him. Kateri goes to the one person who can help her, Cion, leader of the Desert Boys and a talented fighter. Kateri has her own agenda, but as she spends time with Cion and the others, she discovers much of what she was told were lies. Kateri needs to become a better fighter to save her kingdom and stop the current reign. Kateri must make a choice, one that will either save or enslave her people, but which door will she choose?

A tale packed with action and intrigue, The Tiger Queen is as ferocious as its title. The book pulls you in from the first page and holds you captive. Despite some uneven pacing and a few stilted dialogue, the story is mostly enjoyable.

An ARC was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

I was super excited about this book because it's based on the short story "The Lady and the Tiger". Annie Sullivan put a new twist on the story, which I absolutely love. Books based off of other literature are always either a hit or a miss and this one was definitely a hit!

The book was a good combination of mystery, adventure, and just a bit of romance. It was an invigorating read and I loved the premise of a princess fighting to save her kingdom.

The author does an amazing job of characterizing both the protagonist and antagonists. Kateri starts off very conflicted and a bit morally gray but eventually grows to be very passionate and driven in saving her kingdom. I loved how the author wrote her character arc.

I loved how this was so carefully written and I will definitely keep an eye out for more from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC!

This book was received as an ARC from Blink in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

Tiger Queen is an invigorating book to read that reminded me a lot of the Disney movie Brave fighting to keep the crown and sacrifice everything she knows for what is rightfully hers or she will lose it to a man of the other Kingdom. Also, I think a lot of people will relate to Kateri's passion and love for her family and her people especially after the death of her mother the Queen of Achra. Having the kingdom on her back is a lot of pressure for Kateri and when she is forced to make the ultimate sacrifice, her bravery and devotion to her people will be an inspiration and motivation to others especially young women.

We will consider adding this title to our YFantasy collection at the library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

The short story, "The Lady or the Tiger," has been one of my favorites since I read it in high school. It is one piece of literature that has stayed with me since. I've gone back and forth in my mind for many years wondering which door was chosen. Reading Tiger Queen was like visiting a friend from long ago! Annie Sullivan put a new, but believable, twist on this story. I cannot wait to recommend this book to my high school students who have read the short story. A combination of mystery, adventure, and a little romance makes this a great read. And now I know "The Rest of the Story!"

I am looking forward to reading more from this author!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley.