Book Review - Broken Prince by Jen Wylie

My ratings will be as follows:
1 star     *             =             I don’t recommend this book. Save your time.
2 star     **           =             I disliked more about it than I liked.
3 star     ***         =            There were definitely things I liked as well as things I didn’t. I might                                                                                            recommend this book to the right person.
4 star     ****       =            I liked it! I would recommend it!
5 star     *****     =            I loved it so much that I will want a copy of my own. I will probably reread it (if I                                                                  ever have the time for rereading.)

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​* * *  I give Broken Prince by Jen Wylie 3 stars!
This book didn’t start as strong as Broken Aro and for a bit, I was worried. However, it finished much stronger and I am once again drawn into the character’s adventures. I’m eager to read on and discover what happens next.
 
What I Liked:

• Wylie did a nice job of quickly summing up the main points of the first book in the series. I like it when authors do this because it’s a nice reminder for fans who might’ve read the book months or years ago, and it’s also considerate for anyone who has not read the first installment.
• The reader gets to see Aro putting her training to use in this novel. Granted, I would’ve liked to see it happen a bit sooner, but it’s still nice to see her growing as a warrior. She’s not only a tough fighter but also a strategist.
• New mythical creatures!
• The romance between Prince and Aro continues! There are some interesting gender reversals between the two of them. It’s also both funny and heartbreaking to see the challenges posed by an inter-species romance.
• I didn’t notice nearly as many errors in this book. There were a couple but it wasn’t nearly the issue it was in the first installment.
• This next item I honestly can’t decide whether I like or not, but I’ll put it here. In many ways, Aro is a slow learner. She is still making some of the mistakes she made in the first book (ex. going off into the woods alone). This is realistic. Real people don’t grow and improve in a straight upward line – they slip up. But it can sometimes be frustrating in fiction.

 
What I Didn’t Like:

• Aro puts up with a lot from Prince. I am willing to forgive a lot in Fantasy as I feel that magic can justify many behaviors that would not be acceptable in real life between humans. I’m not talking abuse here, but ugly conflicts and a lack of consideration. It stretches believability a bit to think that a fiery girl like Aro would put up with what he dishes out.
• That same issue goes the other direction, as well. Aro sometimes makes immature choices in her actions and reactions.
• Damon’s character in this book is too easy to deal with. It’s like he’s gone soft. I understand he wants to keep Aro around to see how the prophesy plays out, but it weakens his character to see him so easy to get along with and willing to help. He’s become a plot device and lost much of his depth.

 
Would I Recommend This and to Whom:
I would still recommend this book and this series but one big thing has shifted in my recommendation. This book is a romance first and fantasy second. The focus this time around was definitely on the relationship. I’m into that type of thing, so it works for me but, I think it’s important to note the distinction. I recommend this book to fans of YA Fantasy Romance.
 
Favorite Quotes:

• Damon: “The Elven prince begs, and for a human. How very far you have fallen.”
• She wondered what it sounded like when your heart broke. Glass shattering? The thundering roar of falling mountains? Or maybe the squishy rip of a real heart?
• Rhee-En: “You ask a lot of questions.” Aro: “It’s a hazard of knowing me.”