It’s the final book of October! I know this review is coming a little way after the month ended, but it’s been tough for me to write blog posts lately. Just feeling a little creatively drained, but that has nothing to do with this book. I’m just letting you know lol.
If you like space operas, space drama, and the chase to claim the throne of a 1000 planets, then this is the one for you.
Here’s more about Crownchasers
Alyssa Farshot has spent her whole life trying to outrun her family legacy. Her mother sacrificed everything to bring peace to the quadrant, and her uncle has successfully ruled as emperor for decades. But the last thing Alyssa wants is to follow in their footsteps as the next in line for the throne. Why would she choose to be trapped in a palace when she could be having wild adventures exploring a thousand-and-one planets in her own ship?
But when Alyssa’s uncle becomes gravely ill, his dying wish surprises the entire galaxy. Instead of naming her as his successor, he calls for a crownchase, the first in seven centuries. Representatives from each of the empire’s prime families—including Alyssa—are thrown into a race to find the royal seal, which has been hidden somewhere in the empire. The first to find the seal wins the throne.
Alyssa’s experience as an explorer makes her the favorite to win the crown she never wanted. And though she doesn’t want to be empress, her duty to her uncle compels her to participate in this one last epic adventure. But when the chase turns deadly, it’s clear that more than just the fate of the empire is at stake. Alyssa is on her most important quest yet—and only time will tell if she’ll survive it.
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My thoughts
I love a good space opera, but over the past few months I haven’t had much luck with finding a space opera that really kept my attention. I read two books prior that were good, but weren’t the kinds of books I like to read. Honestly, if I kept on reading those books then I would have hated them and the reviews wouldn’t have been truthful to how truly good they are. There’s an audience for those books, it’s just not me.
That being said, I was so thankful to pick up Crownchasers at the last moment. I had a long flight back home and I wanted to read something as fun as the book I read on the way out. This was really good, really fun, and still had a deeper story that kept me going. The ride itself was filled with suspense and the challenges they came across while getting to the royal seal were so good. I love exploring different worlds and facing big challenges and fighting your way to get to the next clue.
The premise itself sold me; a group of royals chosen to find the royal seal and claim the throne of this massive empire. It had that heist vibe, which I really love and the characters were so much fun to follow. Hell Monkey had to have been my favorite because who doesn’t love a brooding silent type that’s the MC’s side kick?
I loved the way this book was laid out. It jumped from past and present, but it explained a lot about the royal families and their relation to Alyssa in the story. She doesn’t want the Empress position, so she helps her close friend who’s also up for the job to win the throne. It was such a good chase story with the villains being villainous and the protagonist thwarting the odds to make it through each round. I honestly I had a lot of fun reading this one.
It also read really young. I normally don’t complain about these kinds of things because I know a YA story is written with an intended audience in mind, but it did bother me how young the writing felt. I just wasn’t a fan.
Overall, definitely a quirky space adventure filled with intrigue and suspense. It really broke me from my space opera funk.
Simone and Her Books 