Today I (Amber) am super excited to be sharing my review of CRIER'S WAR as part of the blog tour being hosted by the fabulous Karina @ afire Pages! CRIER'S WAR is easily one of my favorite books of this year. Enemies to lovers slow burn romance, science fiction/fantasy and so much more CRIER'S WAR is everything I hoped for and more!
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Title: Crier's War (Crier's War #1)
Author: Nina Valera
Genre: Fantasy, LGBT
Source: Tay via #Booksfortrade
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: October 1st 2019
Purchase here: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Summary:
From debut author Nina Varela comes the first book in an Own Voices, richly imagined epic fantasy about an impossible love between two girls—one human, one Made—whose romance could be the beginning of a revolution. Perfect for fans of Marie Rutkoski’s The Winner’s Curse as well as Game of Thrones and Westworld. After the War of Kinds ravaged the kingdom of Rabu, the Automae, designed to be the playthings of royals, usurped their owners’ estates and bent the human race to their will. Now Ayla, a human servant rising in the ranks at the House of the Sovereign, dreams of avenging her family’s death…by killing the sovereign’s daughter, Lady Crier. Crier was Made to be beautiful, flawless, and to carry on her father’s legacy. But that was before her betrothal to the enigmatic Scyre Kinok, before she discovered her father isn’t the benevolent king she once admired, and most importantly, before she met Ayla. Now, with growing human unrest across the land, pressures from a foreign queen, and an evil new leader on the rise, Crier and Ayla find there may be only one path to love: war.
It's has only been two days since I finished Crier's War and I still don't have enough words to describe it. Also, I don't think any of the words I have would do this book the ounce of justice it deserves. An #Ownvoices story by debut author Nina Valera, has been pitched to fans of Game of Thrones and Westworld and is a beautifully written novel about the love between two girls can fuel a revolution.
I am a sucker for a slow burn enemies-to-lovers romance. Then I learned that this was a fantasy novel with humans who are organic and those who have been made. Let's just say I was super excited to read this book. Crier is made, her father, The Sovereign, created blue prints for Crier's build and from those Crier was made. She looks human, feels like human and mostly acts human but she isn't. But Crier's life is turned upside down when she learns that she is flawed, that instead of having four pillars that mimic humanity she has a fifth: passion. Ayla is a human servant who works for The Sovereign, it isn't the best choice of work but it will get her close to Crier. When Ayla's family was murdered years earlier she swore revenge, and that revenge wouldn't be completed until Crier was bleeding and dead beneath her. But when Ayla becomes Crier's new handmaid things become a lot more trickier then they were. Crier isn't the monster that her father is. Soon secrets are unfolded, sides are chosen and a love that will cause a revolution is revealed.
"Richly imagined" doesn't even do this book any justice. Nina's writing made me feel like I was right next to her characters, living in their world as their story unfolded in front of me. Nina's writing is rich in description and illusion. Nina used certain instances and events to expand to her world, rather then giving that initial info dump that causes heads to spin. Though I have several questions regarding this world, I am sure they will be answered in the next book. I enjoyed seeing how the "made" were put at a high stature then the humans. How in a world that humans become the lesser beings and servants to machines that are "superior" to them in no other aspect then the fact they aren't artificially made. It's an issue that is addressed in many science fiction novels and movies and something that is talked about in the real world as well. But it was interesting seeing this instance in a fantasy novel. I am really excited to see where Nina is going to take this into the next book, because I need more. I need to know how this revolution is going to end.
Want to talk about a slow burn romance that makes you want to smash two character's face together? Look no further. The enemies to love arc this book has was amazing and absolutely well done. Through the story you can see the girls gradual shift towards one another. Their fondness, their thoughts, the small touches and how their feelings change and evolve over the course of the novel. It wasn't simply one moment they hate each other and the next they are in love. You didn't realize it until the characters themselves realized it.
Overall I can't say much more about this book because I don't want to spoil it. But it is easily one of my favorite novels I have read this year. Nina Valera's writing is something fresh in YA and an author I will be on the lookout for, for now on. I am excited to see where she is going to take Crier and Ayla in the next installment of their journey!
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ABOUT NINA!
Nina Varela is a nationally awarded writer of screenplays and short fiction. She was born in New Orleans and raised on a hippie commune in Durham, North Carolina, where she spent most of her childhood playing in the Eno River, building faerie houses from moss and bark, and running barefoot through the woods. These days, Nina lives in Los Angeles with her writing partner and their tiny, ill-behaved dog. She tends to write stories about hard-won love and young people toppling the monarchy/patriarchy/whatever-archy. On a related note, she’s queer. On a less related note, she has strong feelings about hushpuppies and loves a good jambalaya. CRIER’S WAR is her first novel.
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Giveaway Time!
Want a chance to win a copy of CRIER'S WAR?! Click on the link below to be redirected to the giveaway!
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Tour Schedule!
WEEK 1
Sept. 23 – Afire Pages | 21 Questions with Nina Varela
Sept. 24 – The Sparrow’s Perch | Fan Art
F A N N A | Reasons for Game of Thrones and Westworld Fans to Read Crier’s War
Sept. 25 – Forever and Everly
Your Tita Kate | Bookstagram Photos
Sept. 26 – Lori’s Bookshelf Reads
Pages Left Unread | Characters Aesthetics
Sept. 27 – Caitlin Althea
Pages Below the Vaulted Sky | Fan Art
Sept. 28 – Lauren’s Bookshelf
Reads Rainbow | Playlist
WEEK 2
Sept. 30 – Boricua Reads | Sapphic Rebellious Women in YA
Oct. 1 – Once Upon A Bookcase
Read at Night | Favorite Quotes
Oct. 2 – Mel to the Any
Oct. 3 – Novel Nerd Faction | Playlist
Oct. 4 – Sage Shelves | F/F Fantasy Recommendation
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Thank you so much for stopping by! Make sure to enter the giveaway and check out the rest of the tour for some epic posts! See you all soon!
I keep seeing so many great things about this book, definitely going to add it to my TBR. Great review!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! I hope you enjoy ❤
DeleteI find this storyline so unique and intriguing. I cannot wait to read. Thanks for sharing.
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