Review – Threats of Sky and Sea (Threats of Sky and Sea, Book 1) by Jennifer Ellision (3/5 stars)

Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 360 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Release Date: April 14, 2014
ISBN-13: 978-1494955847
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in the Threats of Sky and Sea series
Source: eGalley from NetGalley
Rating: 3/5 stars

“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.”

This is the first book in the Threats of Sky and Sea series. I got a copy from NetGalley to review. This seemed like a decent YA fantasy story when I started the book but ended up being boring and predictable.

I loved the initial setup and I was intrigued by the world and characters initially. Bree is happy with her lot in life until everything changes. However as the story continues and Breena gets to the castle things really go downhill. There’s just not much that happens in the remainder of the book. The things that do happen are very predictable. I found myself struggling to pay attention and keep wishing that things would just speed up and keep moving.

I also didn’t find the characters all that engaging. You do get to know Bree and she is a pretty good heroine to read about; she comes off as a bit vanilla at times but is okay. However, the side characters are really lacking in depth. I struggled to picture Princess Aleta and her character seemed really inconsistent. Prince Cadin was very bland and I didn’t like him at all. There just wasn’t enough side character development.

Overall this book was decently written but just wasn’t all that unique or exciting. There are so many YA fantasies out there that are better than this one, I personally wouldn’t recommend.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
– Mount TBR Reading Challenge
– You Read How Many Books? Reading Challenge
– Flights of Fantasy Reading Challenge
– YA Reading Challenge