The White Rose by Amy Ewing
Release Date: October 6, 2015
Publisher: HarperTeen
320 Pages
Received: From Publisher for review
Format: ARC
Rating:
4 Nuts
Description: Violet is on the run. After the Duchess of the Lake catches Violet with Ash, the hired companion at the Palace of the Lake, Violet has no choice but to escape the Jewel or face certain death. So along with Ash and her best friend, Raven, Violet runs away from her unbearable life of servitude.
But no one said leaving the Jewel would be easy. As they make their way through the circles of the Lone City, Regimentals track their every move, and the trio barely manages to make it out unscathed and into the safe haven they were promised—a mysterious house in the Farm.
But there’s a rebellion brewing, and Violet has found herself in the middle of it. Alongside a new ally, Violet discovers her Auguries are much more powerful than she ever imagined. But is she strong enough to rise up against the Jewel and everything she has ever known?
The White Rose is a raw, captivating sequel to The Jewel that fans won’t be able to put down until the final shocking moments.
Review: After the end of The Jewel I found myself kind of disappointed. The execution wasn’t nearly as good as I thought it would be when I heard the premise but there was still a lot of potential. So, I decided it would be worth giving the sequel a go and Harper was kind enough send me a copy. So, what’s the word? Well, I think this series is finally taking advantage of its potential. Yep, I actually really enjoyed this book, much more than I did the predecessor.
For one thing, Ash doesn’t bother me as much. The romance between Violet and Ash still doesn’t make a whole lot of sense but now that it’s somewhat established I can let it go enough that it doesn’t make me roll my eyes every three seconds. Also, their romance is not the focus, not even close. Violet is a more confident character, coming up with her own ideas and actually helping the plot move rather than letting it move her. She’s always had her curiosity but now she’s coming into her own and it’s helping her rather than slowing down the story.
Also, the magic system finally makes a bit of sense. Perhaps it isn’t the best idea to wait until book two to finally explain your magic system but at least there’s finally some rules I can follow so that I understand how it works and the limits it may have. Not only that but the system and the backstory that goes with it is really very simple and kind of beautiful.
The plot of this book moves so much faster than the first one, and I think that’s what helps it shine. The story isn’t bogged down by the filler that made it drag and all of the characters seem brighter and more dynamic. This is what I wanted when I read the premise for book one. This is what I was expecting.
Are there still a few issues? Sure. I still think Ash is a pretty useless character. He still doesn’t do a lot other than running here and there with Violet. In fact, most of his dumb decisions get them in more trouble. Girl, you really need to pick your men better.
But really, I enjoyed this book so much! I’m really excited to see where book 3 takes the story and I hope it follows the path it made with book 2 rather than the dullness of book 1.
What do you think of The White Rose? Share in the comments!
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