The Kingdom by Jess Rothenberg

It is fairly well-known that throughout many people's lives one company has had influence in many childhoods is Disney. Disney is a company which owns so many franchises throughout the world and the best of it is showcased at their resorts. This is one of the many childhood dreams to go to such a place like this for any child or adult for that matter, but what if things are not what they seem?

Rothenberg creates a fictional version of a resort, similar in kind to all the theme park resorts that we have all come to love throughout our lives, but it holds a massive difference, robots. Not just ordinary robots either. Robots that act in a way that makes them just as human as the actors that perform alongside them. In particular it focuses on seven particular robots, known as the princesses, which have been designed in a way that satisfies every dream that a visitor asks for as soon as they enter through their doors.

But trouble is brewing. Things are changing. Memories are coming to the surface for the princess known as Ana and begins to question moralities of not only herself, but those who she believes that look after her. After all, as long as she stays in the kingdom, all is safe right? The outside is broken and her best chance is doing as she is told. But one thing leads to another and she is fighting between what she knows is true within herself and what she is perceived to be, simply a program that can be shut down.

I'm glad Rothenberg took the direction of giving the reader the image of what we perceive ourselves as humans to be and what morality means to each individual person. Especially when the princesses come to terms with what they actually are. Real sentient beings. This could have been expanded even more than having a love story. As much as I found Owen to help Ana on her journey of self-discovery, I hate to say this but I didn't mind that he wasn't there for a period of time. I didn't miss him or want to see what happened to him.

Ana's relationship with another princess known as Nia, is also an interesting one. I feel like there are so many unanswered questions to how it alters within the storyline. Ana, how did you not see that coming? It was almost like she was somewhat sleepwalking throughout a part of her relationship with not only Nia, but also Eve. I wanted to know more about these specific relationships rather than Owen.

The people who I did want to know more about after finishing the book is the remaining princesses. Why the cliff-hanger? I'm not sure whether Rothenberg has decided to continue the story, but there was no hint of what will happen next. If there isn't a next instalment I really do feel like it was pointless to try and convey a message which clearly is left in the dark at the end. But hey, I'm not the writer. For this reason, I gave it a four star rating on Goodreads.

Comments

Troll Queens

When i first decided that i was going to buy this book, it was a choice between the idea of City Of Bones or some other trending book- which somehow i can't remember! I understand that you are probably shouting at the screen right now saying, "How could you? How could you pass up City Of Bones?" I will tell you why. The problem that i have is that i love signed copies, and i'm sure many of you will agree with me on this. So when i saw a signed copy of " Switched" by Amanda Hocking , there was no comparison to the latter. Hopefully you understand- please don't be mad with me! Genre: Fantasy, Romance Publisher: Tor This is the first book in the trilogy. It is the adult version. Did you know that there is a young adult and adult version? Well you learn something new everyday!! Compared to other books that I have read to "Switched" , " Torn" and "Ascend" there has been way (and I mean way) better prose than this tril...

Heiress Apparently (Daughters of the Dynasty) by Diana Ma

SYNOPSIS Gemma Huang is a recent transplant to Los Angeles from Illinois, having abandoned plans for college to pursue a career in acting, much to the dismay of her parents. Now she is living with three roommates in a two-bedroom hovel, auditioning for bit roles that hardly cover rent. Gemma's big break comes when she's asked to play a lead role in an update of M. Butterfly filming for the summer in Beijing. When she arrives, she's stopped by paparazzi at the airport. She quickly realises she may as well be the twin of one of the most notorious young socialites in Beijing. Thus kicks off a summer of revelations, in which Gemma uncovers a legacy her parents have spent their lives protecting her from - one her mother would conceal from her daughter at any cost.

Teaching with the Enemy by Jacqueline Snowe

SYNOPSIS Gilly Carter has kept her lofty inheritance a secret from her coworkers, knowing first-hand how money changes people. But when she's forced to rely on more than her bank account, will she rise to the task? After winning teacher of the year last spring, she's pumped to begin the new school year. Her fantasies of rainbow coloured bookshelves and students giggling at her maths puns are dampened when she discovers Christopher Callahan, a one-night stand who ghosted her, is not only her co-worker, but they're paired together to teach first grade. While he's kind to everyone else, Christopher doesn't even try to hide his distaste for Gilly. He turns his nose up at her extravagant classroom decorations and accuses her of not teaching from her heart. When Christopher challenges her to a spirit week competition where neither of them can spend a cent, Gilly doubles down: she freezes her funds for the entire month, vowing to live off her teacher's salary alone. ...

Blog Tour: The Lore of Prometheus by Graham Austin-King

SYNOPSIS John Carver has three rules: Don't drink in the daytime, don't gamble when the luck has gone, and don't talk to the dead people who come to visit. It has been almost five years since the incident in Kabul. Since the magic stirred within him and the stories began. Fleeing the army, running from the whispers, the guilt, and the fear he was losing his mind, Carver fell into addiction, dragging himself through life one day at a time. Desperation has pulled him back to Afganistan, back to the heat, the dust, and the truth he worked so hard to avoid. But there are others, obsessed with power and forbidden magics, who will stop at nothing to learn the truth of his gifts. Abducted and chained, Carver must break more than his own rules if he is to harness this power and survive.

Pizza Girl by Jean Kyoung Frazier

You get to see a lot of things when being a pizza girl. You see some of the best and the worst parts of the human race in all in one shift. In the case of Pizza Girl, it seems like everyone's life is perfect except for her own. This is where Jenny Hauser comes into the picture, the customer who becomes more of an unhealthy obsession which occupies most of her thoughts. This book can be described as being more of a creative piece, which is almost like a chameleon in the sense of the ever-changing thoughts of the main character and what society can perceive of us. If you like a story which is happy and jolly, this is not for you. There were times when the main character was simply cringe-worthy. The best way to describe it is when you watch a film and a character makes a bad decision and all that happens is an awkward silence from all the other characters in the room. However, its that moment that even though it is so bad to watch, you still have the feeling that you have to watch it...