Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen

| unapologetically vicious & delightfully dark |

That’s pretty much how I would describe Violet made of Thorns and its main character. Thanks so much to TBR and Beyond for having me on todays tour stop for this book, make sure to check out the rest of the tour! If you’re a fan of dark but subtle fairytale retellings with a sprinkle of spice this book is for you. The push and pull between our MC and love interest definitely makes this book all the more fun without even having to mention the magic, the court machinations and the secrets each character holds.

I rarely ask for dual POV but in this books case I wish I would have been able to get a glimpse into every characters head, I was so curious the entire time! This story is a very fast paced ‘give me the next chapter’ type of story and every chapter delivered someone even better than the last. I do feel like having a morally gray main character really added to this story I can’t imagine our MC Violet being motivated by doing good and this story gripping me as much as it did.

First the Briars and then come the beasts & blood. The magic in this world really caught my attention it felt like the author put together all the twisted parts of Cinderella, sleeping beauty and beauty and the beast all in one.

Overall I give Violet Made of Thorns 4 stars and I can’t wait to see what’s next for this world. I was surprised to find out it wasn’t a standalone because the ending did feel tied together for Violet but regardless if the next MC is her or someone else within this story (maybe some Dante snippets??) I will definitely be reading the next one.

Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen is out now so make sure to add it to your Goodreads and you can get your own copy at any of these stores: Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indigo | Indie Bound | Amazon

Synopsis:

A darkly enchanting fantasy debut about a morally gray witch, a cursed prince, and a prophecy that ignites their fate-twisted destinies—perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince and Serpent & Dove.

Violet is a prophet and a liar, influencing the royal court with her cleverly phrased—and not always true—divinations. Honesty is for suckers, like the oh-so-not charming Prince Cyrus, who plans to strip Violet of her official role once he’s crowned at the end of the summer—unless Violet does something about it.

But when the king asks her to falsely prophesy Cyrus’s love story for an upcoming ball, Violet awakens a dreaded curse, one that will end in either damnation or salvation for the kingdom—all depending on the prince’s choice of future bride. Violet faces her own choice: Seize an opportunity to gain control of her own destiny, no matter the cost, or give in to the ill-fated attraction that’s growing between her and Cyrus.

Violet’s wits may protect her in the cutthroat court, but they can’t change her fate. And as the boundary between hatred and love grows ever thinner with the prince, Violet must untangle a wicked web of deceit in order to save herself and the kingdom—or doom them all

About The Author:

Gina Chen tells stories about fantastic worlds featuring heroines, antiheroines, and the kind of cleverness that brings trouble in its wake. A self-taught artist with a degree in computer science, she generates creative nonsense in all forms of media and always has a project stewing. Violet Made of Thorns is her debut fantasy novel. For more info, visit actualgina.com and follow @actualgina on Twitter and Instagram. Goodreads | Tumblr