Author : MJ Prince
Series : Dynasty #1
Genres : Fantasy, Romance, New Adult
Source : ARC from the author
Blurb :
Since the beginning of time, tales have been told about Eden. But all the stories are wrong.
Running parallel alongside Earth, but never touching, there exists not just a garden, but an entire world of vivid colours and breathtaking beauty where the Seraph reside.
Jazmine has lived in ten different foster homes, in ten different towns and all her life she has felt like she doesn’t belong – not in the trailer park which happens to be foster home number ten, not anywhere on Earth.
After a universe shattering revelation, she discovers why. Far from being the nothing and no one, with no past and no future, that Jazmine had always believed herself to be, she discovers that she is in fact an heir to one of the seven remaining Seraph Dynasties.
She is Jazmine Evenstar, the last heir to the sovereign Evenstar Dynasty.
Thrust into the world of wealth and privilege in which the impossibly beautiful and equally cruel Dynasty heirs reside, Jazmine is forced to manoeuvre the tangled web that holds the Dynasties together.
Against the backdrop of breathtaking star filled nights, sweeping coastlines, grand marble halls and decadent palaces, Jazmine tries to find her place in this beautiful new world whilst fighting not to lose herself in the process.
But the fairy tale quickly unravels.
Half human and the illegitimate daughter of the late suicide King of Eden, the other Dynasty heirs make it clear that Jazmine does not belong in their world.
Raphael St. Tristan, heir to the rival sovereign St. Tristan Dynasty and next in line to the throne of Eden, the guy with the face of an angel but who is as wicked as the devil himself, promises to break her.
Jazmine quickly learns that the beauty of Eden is nothing but a deception as she uncovers the secrets festering at the heart of it. But can she disentangle herself from the web of deception and intrigue that the Dynasty heirs have spun? Can she stop herself from falling into Raphael St. Tristan’s trap before he can fulfil his promise to shatter her completely? Or are those stories about Eden true after all and will she be foolish enough to taste the forbidden fruit that is Eden itself?
My Musings :
I was a bit hesitant on accepting a copy for reading because honestly, the cover isn't attention grabbing at all. And add to that, the lengthy blurb, I was in a dilemma. Yes, the blurb hits the points to intrigue the reader. The only downside is it reads like an essay instead of a short synopsis. But I am so happy that I didn't mind my hesitancy because in this case the cover doesn't reflect the story at all!
The beginning dropped me right into the life of Jaz. Her past was laid out for the readers to get in touch with her character and attitude. And the transition to Eden was fascinating especially with the different houses. After that, it went off in a tangent to what I was expecting. I was thinking more along the lines of Romeo and Juliet.What I didn't expect was to have the story in a school setting.
The banter and the angry moments between Jaz and Raph were interesting and had my heart leaping in excitement. From the beginning it was clear that both of them were protesting too much especially Jaz. Oh the scenes between them and the way they retaliated at each other - they had me feeling alive!
The author weaved a complex pattern of plot, characters and world building. The characters were plotted well. Jaz is strong, brave and in need of love while Raph is the ultimate power guy with a cocky personality. At first I didn't like Raph at all but in the middle parts he kind of redeemed himself. I am not sure about him after the ending. On one hand, I am furious and deeply hurt, same as Jaz because I didn't see that coming at all!! On the other hand, I am curious to see how it ended up at that point and the reason behind it.
Speaking of characters, the different people in Eden each have their own relevancy to the plot. I like some and I absolutely hate a few. But they are all integral to the story - especially that of Jaz and Raph. The world building isn't complete yet though a few layers have been introduced in the book. The story actually races with no time to process everything. I literally gobbled up the tale in a few hours because I was that invested in Jaz' life!
One thing I have to say, the author knows how to build up the intensity and keep the reader involved till the end and beyond with her writing style. I look forward to the next book with eagerness!
I received an ARC from the author for reviewing purposes and this doesn't impact my review in any way.
My one line review : A wonderful start to a new series with a cliffhanger ending!
My rating : 4.5/5
My reread factor : 3.5/5
Floryie
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