REVIEW: THREATS OF SEA AND SKY by Jennifer Ellison

Threats of Sea and Sky

Author: Jennifer Ellison
Publisher: CreateSpace
Publication Date: May 20, 2014
Source: eBook from the Author
Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary:
Sixteen year-old Breena Perdit has spent her life as a barmaid, innocent to her father’s past and happily free from the Elemental gifts that would condemn her to a life in the Egrian King’s army. Until the day that three Elemental soldiers recognize her father as a traitor to the throne and Bree’s father is thrown in jail—along with the secrets from his last mission as the King’s assassin. Secrets that could help the King win a war. Secrets he refuses to share.

Desperate to escape before the King’s capricious whims prove her and her father’s downfall, Bree bargains with him: information for their lives. It’s a good trade. And she has faith she’ll get them both out of the King’s grasp with time.

But that was before the discovery that she’s the weapon the King’s been waiting for in his war.


Now, time is running out. To save her father’s life and understand her own, Bree must unravel the knot of her father’s past before the King takes his life– and uses her to bring a nation to its knees.

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
 
It's not that this was a bad book, but it wasn't a great book either. The "big reveal" at the end was pretty obvious - I guessed it at about 40% of the way through. And while I don't mind books following specific story lines and having tropes in them, it would be nice to have them feel a little more original and unique. But this one didn't really. 


As well, it took so long for the plot to actually come together and be a bit more outlined. The plot didn't progress the way I was anticipating because of the pacing. The pacing made the plot seem underdeveloped because the story would speed up and slow down seemingly randomly. It also just really FELT like the typical first book in a Fantasy series. I feel as though I could have skipped it and read book two and probably not be confused.

I did really like all the characters though. I thought they were really well developed and their motivations made sense. But Bree was a great character -- I liked that she was spunky and snarky but still mourned for the Court life that she could have had. I thought that made her ever more interesting. I liked that she and Aleta became friends because FEMALE FRIENDSHIPS!!! I think it was good to show that they had a bit of a hard time to get to know one another at first because they were so similar but that eventually they grew to be friends that could rely on and trust one another.

I thought the magic system made sense and the world building was adequate. I liked the concept of different lands having different types of magic. I thought it was executed alright, but not perfectly. I think the next book could expand a bit more on this. I would have liked just a bit more in terms of really understanding the land as a whole, though. I felt as though I didn't understand the relations between different nations, but it would be integral for me to know this in order to better understand the story.
 
Let me see how the rest of this series is before I recommend it. As it stands, this is just your typical Fantasy story that has been done time and again. I will be checking out the rest of the series though because I am a SUCKER for elemental magic!