Unabridged Bookshelf: Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway of The Cadet of Tildor by Alex Lidell

Welcome to Unabridged Bookshelf's stop on The Cadet of Tildor ARC Tour! This tour is organized by AToMR Tours, and I am so happy to be participating! To check out all the fun happening on the tour, click the banner above for the full schedule!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: The Cadet of Tildor

Author: Alex Lidell

Publisher: Dial

Publication Date: January 10, 2013

Genre: Fantasy

Age Group: Young Adult

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Tamora Pierce meets George R. R. Martin in this smart, political, medieval fantasy-thriller.
There is a new king on the throne of Tildor. Currents of political unrest sweep the country as two warring crime families seek power, angling to exploit the young Crown's inexperience. At the Academy of Tildor, the training ground for elite soldiers, Cadet Renee de Winter struggles to keep up with her male peers. But when her mentor, a notorious commander recalled from active duty to teach at the Academy, is kidnapped to fight in illegal gladiator games, Renee and her best friend Alec find themselves thrust into a world rife with crime, sorting through a maze of political intrigue, and struggling to resolve what they want, what is legal, and what is right.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alex Lidell is a YA fantasy writer and author of ABNA Finalist THE CADET OF TILDOR (Penguin, 2013). Although English is Alex’s primary language, it wasn’t her first. Coming from Russia, Alex learned English in elementary school and fell in love with reading when the school librarian put Tamora Pierce’s ALANNA into her hands. Years later, in college, it was another book that re-united Alex with Russian, which she had shunned in adolescence. The Three Musketeers.* Alex thanks both books, and the writers who created them. Beyond writing, Alex is also a photographer, a horseback rider, and a paramedic. The latter two go hand in hand more often than one would like. She is trying to self-teach herself and her horse to sword-fight. Alex would love to see THE CADET OF TILDOR in the classroom and is working on developing teacher guides for the novel. She enjoys “e-meeting” both students and educators.

WHERE TO FIND THE AUTHOR

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Sword fights, a kingdom on the edge of disaster, and add a heroine who just wants to prove herself worthy makes The Cadet of Tildor a must read for any Fantasy fan. I do not usually pick up Fantasy novels, but I loved the premise so I knew I had to try it. I am so glad that I picked up The Cadet of Tildor, because it is well written and highly enjoyable. Renee de Winter is such a strong, albeit stubborn female lead that you cannot help but root for her. Renee has to fight twice as hard as the boys, who outweigh her in both size and strength. For her final year at the academy, she has the pleasure and pain of learning from the legendary Commander Savory.

Renee is a character with strong beliefs against both The Vipers and The Family, the two crime organizations trying to exploit the weakness of a kingdom with a new young king. As the story progresses her beliefs are challenged and I love the way her character adapts and grows because of these challenges. The best stories always have characters grow and change throughout the story. Renee really begins to see there are multiple sides to a story, and the world sometimes has to be viewed in shades of grey. This causes Renee to question herself, and view the world around her differently.

The Cadet of Tildor is an action-packed tale, with a softer emotional side. The combination of both is what made me fall in love with The Cadet of Tildor. Setting aside her dreams to protect and save her friends is what really made me care for Renee. I love that each relationship in the book, changed and grew sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worst. The relationships in the book are what make this story into a must read. I absolutely love The Cadet of Tildor, and I cannot wait to see what Alex Lidell comes up with next. I want to say so much more, but I feel it would give too much away.

*Unabridged Bookshelf received this book from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review**