This was really difficult to get into. The beginning was solid, I really enjoyed, but the names threw me for a loop. It was hard to concentrate on the story because all the names of people, creatures and common things were so out on left field. I think I enjoyed it less because of this. And maybe I should have read Seraphina and that series before to get a better understanding of this world. The middle, I believe, was really slow. The ending got better.
But, one good thing was Tess. Her character was really strong and very spunky.

3.5 of 5 stars

I enjoyed Tess of the Road more than I expected, but probably less than I had hoped. I wasn’t a big fan of Rachel Hartman’s Seraphina duology when I read it, but nevertheless felt optimistic about her new book because I have a love for “wanderlust” stories and the description of Tess as a “troublemaker” immediately piqued my interest.

To her credit, our protagonist was living up to that promise from the start. When she was a little girl, Tess was caught trying to stage a pretend marriage between her twin sister and cousin because she wanted to know where babies came from. Just a child’s innocent curiosity, perhaps—but it does foreshadow a lot more to come. Years pass, and all of Tess’s energies have turned towards helping her sister Jeanne find a good husband, having ruined her own prospects in the eyes of her family. Society now considers her “damaged goods”, and Tess is forced to hide her past like a shameful secret. Lashing out at Jeanne’s wedding, she winds up drinking too much and causing a scene, jeopardizing the entire marriage. Driven to her last nerve, her mother decides to send her to a convent, but before any arrangements could be made, Tess dons the disguise of a boy and runs away, taking to the road.

What follows is an almost episodic narrative that traces the ups and downs of Tess’s journey as she travels across the land, meeting new people and trying new experiences. It is also a deeply personal tale of self-discovery and coming to terms with one’s own past.

The problem, however, is the book’s structure, consisting of a present timeline with flashbacks inserted throughout, revealing the events which made Tess such a social pariah and why her own family holds her in such contempt. In truth, it is not hard to guess; as I said, there were plenty of hints provided in the early pages. But knowing exactly what happened makes Tess a more sympathetic character and easier to understand, and unfortunately, these important details are held back until late into the novel. In light of these revelations, Tess’s troubled personality is cast in a different light, but of course, by then it might be too late for readers who have already made up their minds about her character.

The “episodic” nature of Tess’s adventures also made the pacing feel uneven. Some parts of the story, especially in the middle of the novel, were slow and I had some difficulty trying to stay focused. Most of the time, I just found myself hoping for another flashback so that I could find out more about Tess’s past. To be fair, the book did pick up again near the end with the introduction of Josquin, though by then my attention had already been severely tested.

Finally, Tess of the Road is a very “mature” book, dealing with a lot of issues modern teens face today. Personally, this made the story a much more compelling read, though I fear these themes might lose a bit of their significance due to the fantasy context, or they could potentially become a mere distraction to those who rightfully just want a bit of escapism. In a way, some of the novel’s greatest strengths are also its biggest drawbacks, and the mixed response from the YA community now makes a lot more sense to me.

Despite some of my mixed feelings, I’m still very excited to read the sequel. The book ends on a high note just as things were becoming interesting, promising more excitement in Tess’s future. For better or worse, I don’t think the next volume will focus as much on our protagonist’s inner turmoil, considering how far she has come in this first book with regards to realizing her own self-worth. As long as Tess continues to travel and grow as a character though, I can definitely get behind a more adventurous and action-oriented sequel.

Unfortunately I had to put this book down; I wasn't able to connect to the story and I was lost in the worldbuilding. There was a lot of things going on that weren't sticking and I wasn't hooked on Tess's story. It was a DNF for me.

ARC was kindly provided by the publisher and NetGalley.

I didn't realize Tess of the Road was a companion novel to another series. I feel like if I had done my research and realized that, I would've powered through this book more and actually finished it. Unfortunately, I didn't finish this book and found the beginning chapters to be slow.

What was really fascinating to me, though, were the quigutls and the way Hartman used them in the novel. I found their development super interesting.

I'm hoping to read Seraphina and then revisit Tess of the Road because it might help me relate to the story more.

4 stars

Tess has been a troublemaker at birth, ever since she shoved her way out of her mother’s womb before her twin sister. She’s now suffering consequences for some of her trouble-making ways, and instead of heading towards the nunnery her parents are looking into, Tess puts on her boots and journeys across the Southlands, pretending to be a boy.

Tess doesn’t know where she’s going, but with the help of an old quigutl (a dragon subspecies) friend, she now has purpose and protection on the road. Yet her tumultuous past is a heavy burden and she’s threatened with the idea of being exposed to the world.


After reading a few of the reviews, I ended up being unsure of if I was going to enjoy this or not, but I jumped in anyways.

And I’m so glad I did.

Although this is the spinoff to Seraphina, you don’t have to read Seraphina to read it. I haven’t (but now I want to). The books are very different and if you’re expecting something similar to Seraphina, throw that notion out the window and off the penthouse floor now.

Because this is Tess, not Seraphina, and she’s going through vastly different struggles. (Vastly different struggles which I loved, that is.)

If you’re looking for political intrigue and action and fantasy adventure, you won’t really be getting that. But if you’re looking for a character who’s growing up, a journey to find oneself, an adventure where you don’t know where you might end up, then Tess of the Road should be right up your ally.

And even if you’re not looking for those things, I think you should still check this out.

Because it’s a coming-of-age story wrapped in a fantasy world, and what’s better than a coming-of-age? It’s relatable on all levels to people of all ages.

And Tess is our troubled little main character who’s taken to the Road to find herself–because where she was before definitely wasn’t the right place for her.

I do think, before we go to all the gushing (which will definitely be coming), I should address the one thing that dropped this book down a notch:

The length.

It was much longer than I think was necessary. The beginning especially was much longer than it could have been and I feel like it would help if it was condensed.

The first paragraph of the summary? Well, that’s basically the first 100-something pages of the 500-something pages of the book.

I can’t really pinpoint where it could be condensed except for the beginning. Dropping us off in some action or shortening the exposition would have been very helpful in just making this easily digestible and preventing DNFs.

But, I do appreciate how Hartman set up the world and introduced it to new readers like me who are unfamiliar with anything in this world.

So although it was helpful to me and I didn’t mind the length too much, I know some people will think it’s redundant and dragging.

But the book slowly got better and it worked with so many important and interesting themes. It’s very much a book of buildup, adding layers and layers of history and different themes and feelings on top of each other and then peeling them away and spurring on change.

Tess deals with everything from body positivity/sex/romance to something I’m not going to spoil to figuring out her purpose to dealing with her family. There are so many different layers to this book and it’s hard to explain how they build up.

But I found it all to be very cohesive, each piece intersecting with the next and working together like gears in a clock. The whole novel just worked and that’s really what I liked about it.

It’s all very character based and although things happen, it wasn’t like there was this one-track plot to “win the competition” or “stop the war” or some other common fantasy trope. It’s just not very fantastical–there are different species (dragons, quigutl, World Serpents, etc.) but it’s mostly about a girl on a journey, discovering who she is.

I ended up really enjoying this and hope that there’s a second book in store for us all because Tess isn’t done growing and I have high hopes for what else she’ll discover. I would definitely recommend this to lovers of contemporaries, not fantasies (although if you like fantasies, still check this out) and I think anyone will fall in love with Tess and her journey if you give her the chance.

The links will go live on February 18th, 2018 & will also be shared via Twitter.

What a great read! Tess on the Road shows a different view point of the world built in Seraphina. While Seraphina makes an appearance, this is all about Tess, her human sister.
With a band of seemingly unlovable misfits, you are taken on a journey in which Tess begins to understand what makes her, her. By the end, you love them all, and can't wait to see what new adventure Tess finds herself on next.

If you loved Seraphina, then this is an absolute must!

DNF @ 23/69%

Caution (highlight for content warning/spoiler-ish note): content relating to the premature birth and death of an infant

I didn't think it necessary to read the Seraphina books before picking up Tess of the Road, and according to the author via a Goodreads questions, it isn't strictly required. However, the further I got, the more I had the suspicion that, while designated a "companion" novel, it was more of a rough sequel about secondary characters. There were events that I was in the dark about that seemed to matter a great deal to the underlying story, but did not occur within Tess of the Road. Apparently Hartman's husband recommends reading Seraphina first, a note I didn't catch until too late. That book will provide some setup for the world and the creatures that inhabit it.

That being said, I got along alright with the hints and whatnot, making as educated a guess as I could to people and their motivations. I noticed, though, that while the writing was good in and of itself, the plot was...I don't want to say nonexistent, exactly, but it was lacking the oomph to make it truly interesting. I checked my progress at one point, found myself a quarter of the way into the book, and realized I wasn't engaged in anyone's story, not really. Things were happening, the plot moved from point a to b to c, but the journey was dull. 

Tess was a complicated character in that I couldn't figure out whether I liked her or not. There were many times when personality sparkled out of her and others when she said she wanted freedom but relaxed into the constraints placed upon her by family and society. Even after she finally gets on the road (not, as the synopsis says, disguised as a boy at first), she had several instances of doubt and even hope that someone such as her father would come looking for her, happy to find her safe, and take her home. Tess felt very fickle and I wasn't sure what side of her I was going to see from one moment to the next.


I had to stop reading this book because of something I read when skipping ahead. As I noted above, I found the story written well enough but the journey boring. That being said, I was curious if things would move along, be resolved, etc. and in skipping ahead I read a few pages that sickened me due to personal reasons.

SPOILER CONTENT - HIGHLIGHT TO READ

There are hints throughout the book that Tess has "gone wrong", so to speak. There are rumors she's a harlot, that she's behaved badly, etc. The reader learns early on that she was pregnant out of wedlock and that was one of the few points of interest I had in the book. Skipping ahead, I found out that the baby died three days after having been born and the description of his skin, his breathing...it was too hard for me to read, having a son that was born at 26 weeks gestation and nearly not surviving. I didn't want to continue, knowing that there might be more allusions to that event somewhere unawares in the text.

SPOILER CONTENT - END

I may read the Seraphina books at some point in the future, but I will be intensely wary because of the aforementioned pages and how ill I felt after reading them. Perhaps others will find Tess of the Road enjoyable, but I couldn't.

Set in the same universe as Seraphina, Tess of the Road follows Seraphina's half-sister Tess after she runs away from home.

So, confession, I haven't read Seraphina, though I have it on my bookshelf and I definitely want to. While Tess of the Road does work as a stand-alone, I do think I would've gotten more world building if I'd read Seraphina first. And I bet there are returning characters, etc. That being said, I did overall enjoy this one. I liked Tess, who has had some really crappy things happen to her and some of those things are her own fault but still. She's angry, impulsive, and sometimes selfish, but also endearing. I'm fascinated by the quigutls and their way of living, though confused by the dragons. I assume I would know more about the dragons if I'd read Seraphina.

While I enjoyed the characters, the plot is plodding. It meanders, the relationship between Tess and her traveling companion Pathka has an odd off and on aspect, I never knew where the plot was going, and it could've ended at any number of places.

Despite this, I would recommend it to any fans of the world, and I'll be reading Seraphina.

3.5/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Books for Young Readers for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Reviewed on Book Riot and Goodreads]

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s and Random House Books for Young Readers for the advance reader copy Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman in exchange for an honest review. I just have to say, WHAT AN AWESOME COVER!!! Tess is such a different (not really likable all the time) character; as a child, she is always being spanked for the wrong things she says and does. But living in medieval Goredd, is not easy when you have a mother who is so angered and malevolent because too late realizes she married a man who slept with a dragon and has produced Seraphina, a human/dragon. Tess’ mother prays to the bad saints and instills this scary religion into her children. As an adolescent, Tess makes a huge mistake and puts her family’s and her own future at risk. As she mightily endeavors to get her sister married; Tess keeps making MORE mistakes. She speaks out when she shouldn’t, she punches a minister, now her family is going to put her with the nuns for the rest of her life. But Tess meets up with an old friend, who is a quigutl-a small dragon, and Patha is on a mission to meet a High Serpent (Dragon) and invites Tess to come. Dressed as a boy, Tess flees with Patha and as they try to exist with no money and food; Tess realizes she likes to work, using her hands and muscles, and she likes the adventure of the road. Tess still has her personal problems and constantly trying to forget her past- but will confronting her past and the forgiveness of the road, work for Tess? You must read this funny, heartbreaking fantasy about a girl who feels unloved and unlovable; and striking out on her own (with Patha) finds redemption on the road with dragons, and with much drama finds her place in life. I rooted for Tess from page one; readers will enjoy her adventures and growth!

I couldn't finish this book and it makes me rather sad. I found that a lot of things were missing to give some magic to this first volume. The first chapters are slow, I can say that I've seen the passage of time! I didn't like the character of Tess afterwards, when I liked her in the beginning of the book, she turns into a boring young girl. I didn't know there was a saga about Tess' sister and maybe I would have been more excited if I had read it. Unfortunately, the universe didn't really transport me and I was more bored counting pages than anything else. The writing and the cover still saved the book a little bit.

I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I pick up this book. I thought it would be an adventure, and it was, but it was terribly long. Tess' backstory was by far the most interesting part of this story. She did something to shame her family and so as the oldest twin she allows everyone to think her sister is the older one, so she can get married first. Once Tess finds a suitor for her sister, she runs away from home. On the way, she picks up her old nanny, who just happens to be a quigutl. I can't even begin to describe what a quigutl is other than they are kind of gross sounding and are not socially acceptable travel companions. Tess is an outspoken alcoholic and it has a lot to do with things in her past. Once the secrets Tess has been holding in are revealed the story is much easier to like. The problem is getting there. This story is almost too long for what it is trying to accomplish.

3.5 stars

Tess of the Road is set in the same world as Hartman’s Seraphina books, and indeed is a spinoff of them. Tess is one of Seraphina’s younger twin half sisters, a child in the previous series but now, six years later, a sixteen-year-old on the verge of adulthood. She has always been prone to trouble, a “spank-magnet,” and her frequent poor choices have narrowed her prospects to be a helpmeet to her twin in securing a good marriage. When her temper gets the better of her after the wedding, her parents plan to pack her off to a convent, conveniently out of their lives and no longer an embarrassment.

Tess has other plans.

Encouraged in a rather oblique fashion by Seraphina (who is no stranger to doing the unconventional), Tess takes to the road to leave her family and past behind and perhaps to find herself. The story of Tess on the Road is both literal and figurative, a physical journey and one of self-discovery. It’s a long road in more ways than one. Tess starts off as an angry young woman who lashes out, often at the wrong times. Her epiphanies on the road are hard-won and often far apart, making the narrative sometimes as plodding as her progress. But the journey is worthwhile and she emerges a stronger and more self-aware person.

In Hartman’s Seraphina duology, I really liked the first book and was terribly disappointed by the second. The pacing was slow and the resolution of relationships bitterly disappointing. (The follow-up of this situation is addressed a bit in this book.) I’m hoping for better for the second book in this series. The ending leaves just a few personal issues unresolved and shows the beginning of some new adventures, so the next book may move at a faster pace, balanced more on the outward than inward discoveries. I hope this will be the case, and I also hope any personal relationships Tess has will be less fraught than Seraphina’s. I’ll look forward to finding out.

Review is available on SFRevu.com's February issue:
http://sfrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=17783

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33123849-tess-of-the-road" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Tess of the Road" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1503583827m/33123849.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33123849-tess-of-the-road">Tess of the Road</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/357601.Rachel_Hartman">Rachel Hartman</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2282898119">3 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Netgalley #8<br /><br />Many thanks go to Rachel Hartman, Random House, and Netgalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review. <br />This is the first of a duology set in the world of another of the author's characters- Seraphina. I've read that book, so I thought I'd check out this one.<br /><br />This is really good, but i dont know if I agree that twelve year olds should read it. I'm just thinking of my nieces, and there are a few subjects discussed that I wouldn't feel comfortable about them reading about in the sixth grade. But I guess kids are growing up so soon nowadays. <br /><br />Tess was always one to get into trouble. As a child she was known as a "spank magnet". It didn't help matters that her older half-sister was part dragon (read the book Seraphina). So Tess goes on a journey. The book follows her on her travails most importantly one that includes a great serpent of the underworld with healing powers that no one else believes exists. She begs for food, she falls in love, she learns truth about her best friend. It's a growth experience. <br /><br />I just kept scrolling the pages. I forgot that eventually there would be an ending and I was not ready. I was happy following Tess on her journey. Thankfully there will more than likely be a Book Two to pick up where this one left off. <br /><br />I wasn't ready for the ending. I wanted to continue on her adventure. 3.5 stars thinking about a 4
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/6595648-bam-the-bibliomaniac">View all my reviews</a>

The concept is good and the plot is there but I will be honest, I DNF'd Tess of the Road at 20%. This is the quickest I have ever decided that a book is not for me but I just cannot stand it. Because everything to make a great story is there I am giving it two stars. It has promise but that is it.

Tess is angsty and angry. She does not care for others feelings and is very poor me, sob story, everyone hates me. I had trouble staying focused and found myself having to force myself to read one chapter all the way through. The whole time I was reading I wanted to stop. It is so slow. That is ultimately what led me to DNF. I just was not enjoying this story. I am not saying that you will not.

Unfortunately this newest novel by Rachel Hartman is not holding my attention. I hate to DNF an ARC, but I'd rather stop reading now than force myself to continue and end up giving Tess of the Road one or two stars on my blog. I read for as long as I could, but the story was dragging and while I appreciated Tess as an unlikely heroine, I found it hard to really immerse myself into her mindset. Hartman still shines when it comes to her writing. There was a playfullness to the beginning that I really liked, but I'm finding it hard to keep reading. As of now, the novel would receive two stars from me, meaning I really struggled to get through it.

3 stars

Plot: As a disclaimer, I did not realize that this was apart of the Seraphina series and I haven't read of Hartman's previous titles. I wonder if I would have liked Tess of the Road more if I had read the other books first, but it looks like the world will never know.

I was instantly drawn into Tess of the Road because of Hartman's writing, it was clever and she even snuck some humor in. I've always found humor to be rare in epic fantasy novels so I respected how natural Hartman made it seem. At some point, I realized that this book wasn't really going anywhere and lost interest. Tess of the Road was very much an epic adventure: Tess encountered strangers who would help her grow and learn something about herself. Unfortunately, there was never any rising action, it didn't feel like Tess' journey was leading toward anything and there were only so many strangers Tess could meet on the road before I got bored and started skimming.

Characters: From birth, Tess was told that she was born "bad" and would never amount to anything. Tess had a hard life and I couldn't help but root for her and be awed how she came to love herself and take her own needs into consideration. Tess of the Road was worth the read solely because of Tess' growth and the comments on sexism that Hartman made.

Worldbuilding: I'm tempted to read the other books because Hartman's world was so impressive. She created various species and took time to explain languages and dialects to the reader. I love languages and grammar rules so I appreciated this extra step to solidifying the world.

Short N Sweet: Tess of the Road was a solid fantasy that needed more action to keep my attention.

Shamed by her past mistakes, Tess lives in the shadow of her demure twin and the even more formidable shadow of her famous older sister Seraphina. After ruining her twin's wedding and permanently shaming her family, she runs away to live on the road. She meets her childhood friend Pathka and together they set put to find the legendary World Serpents. 

Part of the reason I was interested in this book is because I was familiar with the author's previous series, Seraphina, which is the saga of Tess' older half-sister. I never had the chance to read Seraphina when it was popular as I was in the middle of a reading-intensive college program that didn't allow for much leisurely reading, but I heard great thing about the book from friends and colleagues. I've also always been excited about the unexpected journey theme and couldn't wait to read this book. 

Rachel Hartman, in her character Tess, does something that is so difficult to do successfully. Her main character is terribly, deeply flawed. She starts the story as an alcoholic, self-destructive, violent and shattered person, and piece by piece, slowly throughout the novel she begins to put herself back together, but even as a flawed protagonist, she's incredibly likable. More than likable, she's relatable and a breath of fresh area in the genre of Young Adult Fantasy. So often when we have female mail characters, they're wholesome, quite, bookworms or maybe they're feisty, sarcastic and accomplishment driven. Tess is none of these. She's a whole unique character that I was intrigued by within the first few pages. 

While the world this novel takes place in relies heavily on events that took place in the Seraphina series, I was still given more than enough information to understand the dynamics and rules of the world. What interested me the most was the races in this world. Tess's best friend is off a reptile-like race, related to Dragons, called Quigutls. They're mostly looked down on by other people, but Tess has a respect for Pathka and her people and explores their traditions, culture and lore. The readers are also able to learn a bit about the democractic relationships in this world through Tess's travel through the neighboring country. 

While a lot happens in this book, it is fairly slow paced and long. There are some brief moments of action, but they're quick and don't require much build up or reflection. Much of the events of the story are more like internal revelations for Tess than physical events for her to overcome. While these are heartfelt and rewarding scenes, including the numerous flashbacks to her teenage years, her past love and her greatest regrets, there wasn't much to compel the reader constantly forward other than the vague promise of the World Serpents which may or may not be real. It's a loosely structured plot that breaks many of the molds of the genre, which isn't necessarily bad, but is good for any potential readers to know. 

If you love The Name of the Wind and the Song of the Lioness series, even better if like Seraphina, this is a book you should make a must-read. The protagonist, Tess, is beautifully flawed and deliciously complex, as is her quest through the novel. The world Rachel Hartman constructs is unique and compelling in a strange, policitical or educational way. What the books misses in plot and hard action, it makes up for in emotional, tearful scenes of betrayal and redemption. While it's not necessary to read Seraphina prior to reading Tess of the Road, I am definitely interested to read more about this world. The ending is open to a possible sequel so be sure to keep your eye out! 

Rachel Hartman's Tess of the Road will be available on February 27th, but you can pre-order a copy now on Amazon and Underlined.

I have never read the Seraphina books and so thought this would be a good place to jump into this world. Although Tess's story was interesting, I felt as though my unfamiliarity with the previous books led to me missing some of what was going on in the story. It was almost as though there was subplot going on that I should have picked up on but didn't or couldn't because I did not know Seraphina's background, or that of her family.
Tess seemed, in the begging, a very sad character. She did gain confidence in herself throughout her journey.
If I had read the other books first perhaps I would have enjoyed this story more. But I would not recommend this book, especially to anyone not already familiar with the world of Seraphina.

'In the medieval kingdom of Goredd, women are expected to be ladies, men are their protectors, and dragons get to be whomever they want. Tess, stubbornly, is a troublemaker. You can't make a scene at your sister's wedding and break a relative's nose with one punch (no matter how pompous he is) and not suffer the consequences.' With an introduction like that I was definitely looking forward to this book!! I love feisty females who make their own way. Yet I enjoy more lighthearted reads.
This book is filled with some very nice writing yet this dark and emotionally draining tale just wasn’t for me. Though I believe others will like it. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.