Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I wanted to like this book but I have difficulty with the author's writing style. Evie is supposed to be 28 years old but her thoughts and speech make her come across as about 10 years younger. Also, the author will drag out a point with redundant streams of thought and then rather than leave some meaning up to the inference of the reader, the author will explain things inside of relying on her story telling capabilities. I prefer being shown rather than being told, and this author does a lot of telling. The main character is super annoying, doesn't think very critically, and is prone to silliness in a way that is not endearing. Evie would be more likable if she weren't almost 30. She's whiny and kind of dumb. It makes no sense for her to focus so much on her childhood experiences with the villain (which werent that bad honestly) and not on the severely traumatic event the book opens with. I can't help but feel this is a limitation in the author with a lack of research and refinement in skill. Then the story, which starts out with potential, veers right off the path an into cheese town. I mean *MINOR SPOILER*** There's a literal dance off. I just can't. And then, there is a lack of character development. The story is handled in small bouts of Evie's stream of consciousness, some minimal dialogue, an action scene, and then fast forward through time and all of a sudden relationships have developed. Evie will look at characters and think "there's sly zerelda, and strong Sullivan" etc, but we are literally never shown these things about the characters. We just hear evie tell us who these people are. Minor Spolier * * * Finally, you have Evie who knows she is in line for the thrown, who has presented herself as caring and selfless, but has to be convinced to save her people from a war? She literally was willing to die over a dance off but drew the line at becoming queen. And she admits to being confused all the time but NEVER does anything to figure stuff out for herself. She will eavesdrop and be all "hmmmmmmm what they're saying seems important but I dont know what it means" and the just dismiss it without investigating. She is the worst.