First off, thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me an e-ARC of this book.

The first half of the book started off promisingly... before rather quickly petering out. I was drawn in almost immediately to Norah's story and thought it would be right up my alley but... it unfortunately fell off the mark.

Norah doesn't remember anything of her life before a young man rescues her from strange lands, she is suddenly thrust onto the throne of a kingdom she does not remember much less has any attachment to yet, she struggles to understand what Alexander is to her while her aunt categorically forbids him from getting emotionally entangled with her again, she's quickly forced into marriage with the ruler of an allied kingdom that she doesn't know, and she's soon captured by Mikael, a rival king who wants her to ally with him instead. These are all tropes I can normally get behind.

The prose was at times stilted, at other times too contemporary or juvenile for the genre, and at other times all right. I started losing interest around the 25-30% mark just because the story took so long to get anywhere, and unfortunately, once Mikael entered the picture, I just wasn't invested anymore despite how compelling his plight was.

Overall, it was a little unpolished for my taste. The premise is great, but felt like it was executed weakly.

Received an ARC of this from Netgalley.

There are some compelling things about this book, but it does seem a bit unfinished, or unpolished. The first part is rather a slog to get through and all the characters seem very similar. I also felt if someone had no memory of their life, they might be asking a few more questions than Norah does.

The second half is more interesting, and I will read the rest of the trilogy to see what happens. That said, much of the book is the inner monologues of the main characters, rather than them actually having conversations. They think a great deal, but talk very little. Tons of assumptions are made and people refuse to answer questions by saying "I don't want to burden you" which is just lazy. Some of the characters are more caricatures than real people. Referring to one character as "the brute" all the time makes me feel like I'm reading a Victorian romance.

The premise and plot of the book are somewhat interesting, the execution is a bit weak.

Well this went in an unexpected direction and that's a fact ! We have a gutsy, brave heroine in Norah but I was somewhat stymied by her amnesia as its mentioned at the beginning and then practically ignored until the end. Plus she wakes up in a magical forest with pretty terrifying things happening and yet again the magic and mysticism of it all just gets forgotten about as Norah faces challenges from just about everyone around her !
So why have I rated this book highly ? It's well written and the story was very interesting. Countries at war with a Queen determined to bring peace and prosperity. I loved that she had so much heart and compassion although it doesn't make her weak because she makes hard choices. Torn between two men and never knowing what is really happening or even who she can trust Norah valiantly blunders along wanting to trust but aware there's always consequences. Not a typical love triangle in play here either because suffice to say it is a little bit tangled as these strong, frequently bloodthirsty men are all around. I loved the eastern vibes this story gave off in the land of the Shadow King and could easily imagine it. So not exactly perfect but absolutely a fabulous beginning and already I want to read more.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

Excellent read, very gripping, a real page Turner. I loved it so much I read it in two sittings. Very excited for the next installment in the series

First I would like to thank Nicola Tyche and Columbia River Publishing for sending me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

North Queen was a 3.5 star read for me. A Queen with no memories is suddenly thrust back into her old life of ruling a kingdom and preparing for a political marriage, all while balancing the upcoming war with the evil Shadowlands.

Honestly, this book felt like it was broken up into two very distinct sections, with the division almost exactly at the 50% mark. The first half of the book focused on Norah returning to her kingdom and dealing with her memory loss. The second half focused on Norah's relationship with the Shadowland kingdom and its current ruler. The first half of the book definitely dragged a little bit more. Partially due to the premise of the story, it was hard for me to care for Norah as a character because we just know nothing about her. Things happen to her, she doesn't make things happen.

The second half of the book we start to see Norah come into her own personality. Unfortunately, that is done by completely disregarding the first half of the book. The memory loss and her time away from the kingdom is mentioned in one completely inconsequential conversation and that is it. However, the pacing of the second half of the book is much better and the tension feels more real. Norah is starting to understand the responsibility she has over her own kingdom and begins navigating her own feelings. We see her stand up for herself (which results in some victories and some devastating losses).

Other reviewers have mentioned the love square(?). There is definitely an odd dynamic between the 4 MCs, but it seems fairly obvious at this point who the main romance pairing is.

Overall, the second half of the book really saved this read. I also think that Tyche's actually writing really amplified my feelings for this book. Fantasy romance tends to focus on first person, present-tense narration and I thoroughly enjoyed having this written in third person (but still following multiple POV's). I will absolutely be continuing on to the next book when it is released, but this won't necessarily be high on my recommendation list as of right now.

Listen I am DESPERATE. I need the second book right now. This started out so cheesy and kind of slow and maybe I’m just messed up in the head but once the shadow king was involved…GIRL. Give me the second book I’m begging😭😭

This epic fantasy had me hooked!! I really enjoyed this and can't wait for book 2. I loved Norah and I can't wait to see what happens what happens next!
I just reviewed North Queen (Crowns Book 1) by Nicola Tyche. #northqueen #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

This book was a very pleasant surprise! We follow Norah, who wakes up in a place called The Wild with no memory, only to be found by her best-friend-turned-lover, Alexander. We learn Norah had been missing for about 3 years because her father took her someplace safe, away from enemies a vision predicted would capture her. From there, she is taken home where she learns she is the princess of Mercia and, because her father died, she is to be crowned Queen and is arranged to marry the king of an ally in the war against the Shadowlands.

We are clearly set up to care for the relationship between Norah and Alexander; however, it fell flat for me, personally. It felt like the only thing drawing them together was the familiarity Norah felt toward him (even without her memories) and the draw to him as the person who found her. Mikael was by far the more interesting of the male leads and has depth to him that I found Alexander to be lacking. He is the quintessential morally grey romantic interest who seems tough and scary on the outside but shows he can be gentle and sweet with Norah. An easy swoon for me!

While Norah is in Mercia, I found her to be somewhat passive but she had small moments of rebellion, like wearing a dress her grandmother did not pick out. Once she meets Mikael, her fire starts to come out and she begins standing up for herself and other people. I loved this fiery version of Norah and her ability to stand up for what she believed to be right. That being said, I felt she sometimes asked too much of Mikael and was expecting things to change just because she said so, which made it feel a little less realistic. She asks him to change things that have been tradition for centuries, give mercy without knowing the context of what is happening, and get rid of those he has promoted within his ranks. She then got frustrated when things did not go her way and Mikael would ultimately bend for her. Despite that, she definitely knew what she wanted and was not afraid to ask for it, even though she was in an enemy territory and with those considered “evil.”

I loved the cool addition of Fate in this book, with characters often making significant decisions and changes in an attempt to change fate. It added an interesting element and plays with the idea of whether fate is set in stone, which many may believe. I can’t wait to see how the author continues to explore this in the next book, which I will definitely be picking up (and would love an advanced copy if the author wants to give it :))! A solid debut and 4 star read!

Thank you Netgalley and Columbia River Publishing for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book at the start, but after a while I did begin to feel too side tracked with the love square than with the actual plot of the book. I do feel the second half of the book could be much better

“North Queen” is the promising start of a New Romantic Fantasy series from author Nicola Tyche. It begins when a young woman awakens in the woods with no memory of who she is, or how she got there. A fox is the first friendly face she sees, and not knowing what else to do, she follows it in the hopes it might lead her to safety.

This works, sort-of. She stumbles right into the arms (or chest) of Alexander, lord justice to the queen regent of the land. He seems to know her, and to have been looking for her. In a move straight out of Anastasia, he tells her that she is a long-lost royal, missing for the last three years. And she must return to her grandmother’s side.

Right away, this book gave me the best wintry atmosphere. I loved the fantasy elements, and the creepy forest, and the political intrigue of it all.

With that said, I don’t think this book was for me, and that’s no fault of its own. I’m not a huge fan of amnesia storylines, and I found it difficult to relate to the main character.

This book will appeal to fans of “Anastasia” and winter-themed fantasy novels like “The Bear and the Nightingale” or “East”.

North Queen by Nicola Tyche is a 3.5 of 5 for me. This fantasy story mixes in enemies to lovers, memory loss, royalty, forbidden love, magic and marriage of convenience into a tale about Norah and her plight to help her kingdom.
I am left with questions about Norah’s memories, how magic works in this world and why the characters act as they do. I think Mikhael is an interesting character and I’m dying to know how things play out for Alexander.
The world building is quite beautiful, I loved the Canyonlands descriptions and the winter seems like the longest season to ever exist. I’d like to see more than just castle walls for a majority of the book though.
Overall the pacing was a little slow for me, I found that at 400 pages, it dragged on, especially since there was not really any romance or sexual tension building. Definitely falls in a YA category of romance with no spice, safe for teens, if one is with descriptions of violence and on page death/executions. Overall, I’d likely read the next books when they come out to continue the plot and see where it goes.

I loved the main character Norah. Despite losing her memories- she is remains strong willed and follows her instincts. She cares for her kingdom and doesn’t back down from the men trying to make choices for her. The love triangle/square is intense- and I honestly don’t know who to trust! The cliffhanger ending definitely has me wanting the next story asap!

Really enjoyed the world building in this story. At first it was a bit much but then I started to follow it better. Of the main characters, I really liked the Shadow King, I think he is a misunderstood character. I was both frustrated by and rooting for the FMC, which kept me reading. The other MMC I did not like at all making this a kind of love triangle vibe., which I didn’t like. Overall though, I liked this story enough that I would recommend it and am anticipating the next book, because I neeeed to know what happens.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC copy of this book to read and review. All of these thoughts and comments are my own.

I was surprised by how much I loved this. I honestly couldn’t put this book down. It has enemies to lovers, funny banter, a little spice, good side characters, and a great plot. It was super fast pace and I think it’s going to make a great series.

I really like the Shadow King but I’m really hoping that Norah doesn’t lose her best friend. I know sacrifices have to be made for great fantasy books but I just really want a happy ending for everyone.

I’m very curious to how this series is going to play out though and I’m excited to read the rest of the books. If you like the fantasy genre; I definitely recommend this!

4 stars!

Very good read. Not your typical enemies to lovers, if you can really even call it that? Ended with me wanting more! Cannot wait to see what comes next.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. As always, my thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

I thought this book would be right up my alley. A girl wakes without her memories, only to find out she is the Queen of a thriving kingdom, set to marry the King of a neighbouring empire and prophesised to defeat the mysterious Shadow King. Unfortunately, I struggled to get invested in Norah's story, and I think a lot of it was because she faced almost no challenges in the first half of the book.

Sure, being rushed into Queen-hood can be stressful, particularly when all your memories are gone, but she is rescued by a man who adores her, welcomed warmly by her grandmother, plunged into a life of luxury, and generally accepted with open arms by everyone in Mercia. Not a single person makes her homecoming difficult or presents an opportunity for Norah to grow as a character. They're all just too nice.

The writing was all right, though I thoroughly disliked the use of several "Ummmmm..." phrases throughout the dialogue. The ending was interesting, but it took too long for things to get started so I was underwhelmed. Overall, an average read, but I don't think I will continue with the series.

North Queen is a romantic fantasy set in a wintery world of kingdoms. The MC , Norah, begins the book lost and with amnesia. This made for a bit of a slow start and caused confusion. Since she did not know much, I found the world building and character introductions lacking. It picks up after that and I became immersed in the story. There are warring kingdoms, a love triangle, strong female characters, enemies to lovers, and an arranged marriage. The makings of a great series, I am looking forward to the next installment.

⚔️ North Queen (Crowns Book 1) - Nicola Tyche ⚔️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars
🌶️.5 spice

Norah has woken in a cold forest, alone and without her memories. She quickly learns who she is and the fate that is laid out for her.
Betrothed to a prince to join forces, a raging war at head and a Shadow King to fight, the North Queen is in deep.

This book had be in a chokehold. Unable to put it down I couldn’t stop reading. To say I need the second book already in an understatement..

⚔️ Morally grey MC
⚔️ Fantasy romance
⚔️ Enemies to lovers
⚔️ Strong FMC

Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC and the author Nicole Tyche!

I don’t have words for how in love with this book I am. This was so beautifully written and I was addicted from the first page to the last. For that matter, I am still invested and have already marked my calendar for the release of the second book.

The story follows Norah as she wakes up with no memory of her life up to that point and quickly learns she is to be crowned a queen. It seems the course of her life has been decided for her and she has no choice but to follow its course. It turns out that course is not as clear as it initially seems and she has more power over her future and that of her people than she thought.

The characters are not cookie cutter, but rather are a wonderful mix of good, bad, morally grey, caring, conflicted, and passionate. There is not perfect character without flaws or struggles. The realistic nature of the characters causes their stories to truly resonate.

A wild adventure full of twists, turns, and the unexpected, it takes a refreshing look at fate and how one’s reaction to a known fate can change that fate. It examines the complexities of all forms of relationships. The entire story is shrouded in an air of mystery that makes it impossible to put down.

If anyone needs me on August 1st, I will be reading Shadow Queen and will be unavailable for anything else.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

North Queen...

I'm going to round up on this review as it may be only personal that I found the first 3/4 of this book absolutely hard to read. I think that... yes, if you were to lose memory of who you were, you may revert back into some slightly childish behaviors. but not if you innately somehow still remember <i> life </i> itself! I don't know, the voice of Norah the MC was just too young for me, for at least half of the book. It started to improve by the 3/4 mark and I did enjoy the last small section of the book.

I will also round up my review because contrary to the above, I do want to read the next book as I think this will be a series that gets better as it grows, much like comparing the first Throne of Glass to the last-- I still cringe when re-reading the first.

So overall, the story and characters have potential, this particular book was just not written well for most of it. I do look forward to seeing if they improve as Norah's story goes on AND that ending was pretty dang good.