Review: Blood Crown by Ali Cross

January 20, 2015 2 stars, Book Review 22 ★★

Review: Blood Crown by Ali CrossBlood Crown by Ali Cross
Series: The Eden Project #1
on February 20, 2014
Genres: Romance, Science fiction, Young Adult
Pages: 334
Format: eBook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads

*This book was provided by the Publisher for review. No compensation was provided and all opinions are strictly my own.

Androids have claimed power over what remains of the human race. They rule without remorse. They are the Mind and humans exist only to serve them.

But it wasn't always so.

Before the android uprising, select droids, called Servants, were pivotal in engineering a new human race with nanotechnology enhanced DNA. The Blood Crown theorum was to be humanity's crowning glory and the key to their survival in deep space.

But Serantha, Daughter of the West, was the last female to receive Gifts from her Servant and when the Mind mutinied, she was hidden away, and presumed dead.

Without Serantha there is no hope of the Blood Crown being realized so Nicolai, Son of the East, abandons his crown to join the rebel forces. He might not provide the future for his people he had once dreamed of, but he will not go down without a fight.

When Nicolai discovers Sera among a small compliment of kitchen staff, everything changes--but Sera's Gifts were never completed and she is ill-equipped to face a legion of androids determined to wipe her, and every other human, out of existence.

Their only hope is the Blood Crown--but even if Serantha and Nicolai can realize their potential it may be too late to save mankind.

two-stars

It really pains me to say that Blood Crown wasn’t the book for me. I’ve had a few trustworthy friends rate this high, so it really sucks when I don’t feel the same way. Doesn’t that just suck?

Strike #1: Instalove–there’s no relationship build-up for either male as they both say that the love her or have loved her once. However, there is no instalove on her part as she is hesitant to trust either.

Strike #2: Love triangle–one is an android/bodyguard that has to have her and the other is an old friend and betrothed that still feels their “bond”. She does love both, but one is the obvious winner, and it still wasn’t really all that necessary.

Strike #3: Multiple POVs–this normally wouldn’t bother me, but Nicolai and Archibald really didn’t need their own chapters IMO. Serantha was the only one I was interested in and her POV is the only one that matters. Nicolai’s basically rehashes everything we already read in her POV and Archibald’s are so short that they don’t add anything to the story.

Strike #4: Couldn’t connect–this could very well just be me since a lot of people have loved the characters, but I couldn’t connect with any of them (that really drives rating down for me. Sorry guys!!)

Strike #5: Plot/Worldbuilding–this is where there is some redemption, I do like the idea of having East and West kingdoms that unite together for an old prophecy THAT MAY SAVE HUMANKIND AS WE KNOW IT! Not a very original fantasy element, but there was enough of a sci-fi transformation–> with giant state-ships that evacuated Earth 1,000 years ago and the start of a android revolution.

Overall, I think the fact that I didn’t care about the characters and the romance taking over made this book not for me. But, here’s Sarah’s awesome review with more depth on the context of the book and why it might be a good read for you.

Kat Stark

Kat Stark

Guest reviewer
Kat Stark

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22 Responses to “Review: Blood Crown by Ali Cross”

  3. Dragana

    Yep, it definitely sucks when you don’t like the book that your friends rated high…

    I don’t think this is the book for me, although the summary sounds interesting. Mostly because of strike #2 – I hate obviously unnecessary love triangles.

    Not connecting to the book and character is also a big factor in rating for me too.
    Dragana recently posted…Top Ten Signs That You Love Some BookMy Profile

    • Kat

      It’s hard to love something you just can’t connect to, but some of my friends really enjoyed this one :/ I donno…

    • Kat

      They are major no-nos in my book, but sometimes if it’s an amazing book, I make an exception.

    • Kat

      Well if you do read it, I hope you look past all that. It really grates on me so my taste may be a little on the picky side.

    • Kat

      YESSS!! Oh my goodness you basically listed all the wants I wanted for this book and it didn’t happen like I would have liked.

  10. Felicia (asillygirl)

    It seems to have a little too much romance for my taste. I’m definitely NOT a fan of insta-love. It annoys me so much. Who ever falls in love within the first minute of knowing someone? For me, I go “He’s cute” quite fast, but that’s it.

    – Love, Felicia
    Felicia (asillygirl) recently posted…Chapter 37: How I stopped lyingMy Profile

    • Kat

      I’m okay with insta-lust because that happens all the time in real life, but when they both love her because well one loves her to protect her and the other loves her because he’s loved her since they were kids. It happens, but it’s rare as hell.