Published: June 25, 2019
Evil Queen is the first book in Gena Showalter’s new YA series and it is honestly really good. I wasn’t too sure if I would like it because I’m always a bit wary when it comes to YA novels. Especially YA novels that are in only one point of view but for this one it worked. I do have to say that it wasn’t all greatness and sunshine while reading it because the prologue is part of a chapter later in the book and almost the entire book I was waiting for the events mentioned to happen. That stressed me out and I didn’t like it at all. Without going into too much detail the events that happened were terrible and I was waiting and waiting for them until they finally came about. That was more stress than I needed in this novel for sure.
Everly is the kind of girl that people generally avoid. All people except her mother, step-father, and wonderful twin sister Hartley. She would do anything in the world to protect Hartley and because of that she seems a bit intense. It isn’t until strange things start to happen when she looks into mirrors and sees her mother and step-father fighting about impossible things like a fictional land called Enchantia that she realizes maybe there is a reason why people don’t like her. And the reason is that she is destined to be The Evil Queen from the story Little Snow White. She knows that she makes mistakes but she isn’t evil and Hartley would never love someone who is evil. So it can’t be right.
When she finally makes it to Enchantia everything just becomes even more messed up. She discovers that Hartly is actually her cousin and her real twin sister is engaged to the prince Roth who could or could not be Prince Charming in the fairy tale. On top of that everyone is trying to kill her because she is a sorceress and has to draw power from people with magic in order to do magic. That is something she must keep hidden unless she wants Roth to kill her out right. Through it all she learns that she can only rely on herself and get back to Hartly. Roth will only hurt her in the end and his number one will always be to protect his sister. The Snow White in her nightmare.
I honestly believe that this book would have been better if it were written as an adult novel. Even though it was written in an older young adult range (considering the characters are all 18+) it would have been better as a fairy tale romance. I had really high hopes that it would be an adult novel until a friend crushed them and told me it was YA. Well before the book was released so I had time to prepare myself. And I would love to see Roth’s point-of-view as well. That is one problem I have with the YA novel’s of Gena’s that I’ve read is the fact that we only get the female’s point-of-view. Maybe her Everlife and Intertwined series are different but I don’t know. It isn’t looking good. I just really like know what’s going on in everyone’s head.
Anyway, besides my few hangups on this novel it was actually really enjoyable and I seriously couldn’t put it down. I’m so glad that there will be more in this series and I really hope we get to see Everly and Roth again even though their fairy tale has been fulfilled. Well, mostly. Definitely go check this one out if you’re looking for a new YA series or just another Gena Showalter novel to hold you over until the next Lords of the Underworld one.
—“The good prince wants to have a pants party with the bad sorceress? Is it my birthday, or yours?” -Everly to Roth, pg. 283—
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