Review by Helene CW -- Valoria by Tayma Tameem

[Helene CW]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Valoria" by Tayma Tameem.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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If you love reading novels about extraordinary royal families, then Valoria by Tayma Tameem is a perfect choice. I was easily mesmerized by the characters, especially the royal family of Valoria, who are anything but ordinary; they are brave warriors, all fighting for peace, and there isn’t anything they wouldn’t do to protect their beloved kingdom.

Princess Zeina and her brother, Prince Zain of Valoria, are duty-bound to a double marriage with the royal family of Intellectus. The royal families hope that the union, these marriages, will strengthen the bonds of their kingdoms. While Prince Zain and Princess Amber, the princess of Intellectus, quickly become fond of each other, Princess Zeina and her betrothed, Prince Adam are blindly resistant to the arranged marriage; they both care for their kingdoms strongly but have a harder time bonding. The two families intervene with the dismayed couple, yet they fail to notice that it isn’t only Prince Adam who has Princess Zeina unsettled. There is much suspicion traveling throughout the castle, secrets, and Zeina keeps her eyes and ears open for anything that might lead to her hunch. But as news of war clenches the royals and draws closer to home, it becomes harder to know who can be trusted and who to keep an eye on. Time is weighted, people are fighting for their lives, and some are falling in love.

What I liked most about this book, is its characters. Not only did Tameem choose names with a fun twist for the tongue, but each character has a special quality, whether it’s a skill like archery or a backstory. Being a multiple viewpoint novel, it is a pleasure to hear the voices of the different characters and live inside their world of thoughts and perspectives.

What I disliked most, were the shorter chapters, I noticed that many of the chapters that are not from the viewpoint of Princess Zeina or Prince Adam, are relatively shorter, I would have preferred some of them to be longer and gain some more knowledge, say, on the queen of Valoria. I also felt it wasn’t necessary for new chapters to include the abbreviation POV, the abbreviation doesn’t suit the formality of the novel and I found that the chapters were clear to have shifted viewpoints on their own.

I believe readers who enjoy science fiction, fantasy or even a good romance novel, will enjoy this book. There is certainly enough action for everyone. Prince Adam and Princess Zeina will have you voting on and off in their favor and every chapter holds a new surprise.

I rate this book three out of four stars because I believe the book could use a brief cleaning. Nevertheless, this novel is beautiful, like its marvelous characters. The mystery is endless, exciting, and I’m begging for a sequel.

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Valoria
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[Mariana Figueira]

Thank you for this amazing review! You got me interested. Not sure I could be left without closure, tough.