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The Queen Is Dead
Unavailable
The Queen Is Dead
Unavailable
The Queen Is Dead
Audiobook10 hours

The Queen Is Dead

Written by Kate Locke

Narrated by Moira Quirk

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

4.5/5

()

Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

The sequel to Kate Locke's spectacular Immortal Empire series that began in God Save the Queen.
Xandra Vardan is the newly crowned Goblin Queen of England. But her complicated life is by no means over.
There are the political factions vying for her favor, and the all-too-close scrutiny of Queen Victoria, who wants her head. Not to mention her werewolf boyfriend has demands of his own, and her mother is hell-bent on destroying the monarchy. Now she's the main suspect in a murder investigation -- and Xandra barely knows which way is up.
What she does know is that nothing lasts forever -- and immortality isn't all its cracked up to be.


The Immortal Empire God Save the Queen The Queen is Dead Long Live the Queen
LanguageEnglish
Release dateFeb 5, 2013
ISBN9781619693333
Unavailable
The Queen Is Dead

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Reviews for The Queen Is Dead

Rating: 4.30769076923077 out of 5 stars
4.5/5

156 ratings12 reviews

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I was very excited to revisit the somewhat disturbing world that Kate Locke has created and I wasn't disappointed, although this book wasn't quite as good as the previous book, it was still a really entertaining read.

    I'm pleased to see that Xandra is beginning to come into her own somewhat. I still think that she is too impulsive and doesn't always think things through, but she is 22 so a lot of that is understandable.

    One thing I quite like about this series is that I don't necessarily think of Xandra as "the good guy," she's got flaws and occasionally she is vicious and yes, once in a while she'll eat a heart or two, but she's really rather self-aware. So about the time I'm thinking, why did she do that? She's also thinking it and that makes her more relatable to me. So even when she's doing something foolish or acting a little self-absorbed, I can't help but like her despite myself.

    Vex is wonderful. Seriously, he has got to be one of my favorite shapeshifters ever. I don't always understand why he got mixed up with Xandra or why he loves her, but then Xandra doesn't always understand it either. I'm just happy that he does.

    I enjoyed all the side characters in this book (most of which are Xandra's relatives) and I'm pleased that at least for now it doesn't appear that the author is going the love triangle route despite my initial fear of that due to the reappearance of Rye.

    I definitely look forward to reading the next book in the series. There is still a lot of story to be told here.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A wonderful story with excellent characters, plot twists and the most perfect narration. And and excellent sequel to “God Save The Queen”
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    it is awesome and very good on description and dialect. :)
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Interesting conceit (Victorian England's aristocracy as werewolves, vampires and goblins) ) but the language and writing style is distranctingly slangy.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A great sophomore outing for this series.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Plot: 4 stars
    Characters: 4 stars
    Style: 4 stars
    Pace: 4 stars

    I'm enjoying this series. Not a lot of depth, but complex enough for entertainment.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Xandra Vardan recently discovered she is not only a goblin, but their queen. As a result, her world is thrown into turmoil. Her family has thrown her out and people are terrified of her, humans, halvies, and aristos alike. Various factions try to gain her favor because whoever has the goblins on their side has a distinct advantage over the others. Xandra doesn't even know if she wants to be the goblin's leader or what faction, if any, she wants to align with. The only constants in her life are Vex, her werewolf boyfriend, and the goblin plague, most of them loyal and there to support her. In addition to all the other things complicating her life, her brother Val is nowhere to be found. Xandra must use all her resources to find out where her brother is before it's too late.I officially love this series. The first book in the series is good, but the second books in series can really suffer because it's setting up to the final book. Xandra is a fun protagonist. Her observations and unique curses make me laugh and make her very endearing. She is a little annoying with wishy-washiness about whether to accept the goblin queen crown and fully accept who she is. I give her a bit of a pass because she has to relearn everything she knows about herself and her world. The people she relied on and knew in her previous life now regard her as savage and untrustworthy. Every faction both fears her and longs for the power she wields. She's grown a lot since the last book, but she's still growing into her newfound physical and political power despite her reluctance. I enjoyed reading about her journey even if there were a few missteps.The only people who are true constants in her life are her boyfriend Vex and the goblins. Vex McLaughlin is the alpha of a werewolf pack, but doesn't fall into the stereotypical roles he would usually be put in. He is no way misogynistic, controlling, or dickish, the rare werewolf that is satisfied being strong without belittling those around him. He treats Xandra as an equal and expresses no interest in using her for her power as goblin queen. I love that he is frank about his emotions and intentions. No drama, no bullshit. He supports her unconditionally and doesn't try to force her to do anything. The goblins are known to everyone as savage monsters that eat babies. They are shown to be as varied as any person and just as intelligent. Xandra grows closer to them and finds that she's not so different from them. They come to be her family as she gets used to their odd looks and customs. The Queen is Dead is amazing: fast paced, action packed, and chock full of interesting story lines. The alternative England is delightful and explored a little more than the previous book. I can't wait to see what's in store for these characters. The next book can't come fast enough!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    4 1/2 but I'm bumping it up to 5. I actually like this slightly better than the first.

    Vex and Xandra's relationship grows but without the drama of romance novels. Xandra questions things but she gets her answers pretty quickly and straight forward. None of this hidding things and miscommunication to further the plot. Xandra is also dealing with accepting the position of the Goblin Queen, really this and the question of where her brother is were the main plot of the book.

    A new character is introduced, Penny, who is Xandra's half brother's half sister... well tranny brother/sister though she keeps the pronoun decidedly feminine which was nice after I caught on. I'm slow like that. She adds a particular spice. The other two 1/2 sisters don't play as big a part.

    I truly was taken along for the ride with the investigation and story line. I didn['t know whom to suspect and altought I know the evil players from the last book, I wasn't sure if they would play here or not.

    Most know I really dislike cliffhangers and many have commented that this leaves a lot of things in the air... well maybe but I don't feel like I have been left in the lurch. The main questions have been solved and yes there are some new question for the continuation. Still I felt very satisfied with the ending.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Again, enjoyable but quick read.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: This urban fantasy with a twist of steampunk is a dark, fun read that packs quite an adventure for the main character.Opening Sentence: There was a dead rat nailed to my door. The Review:The Queen is Dead is the second book in the Immortal Realm series. It is not quite as action packed as the first book in the series, God Save the Queen, but it still has quite an adventure. Alexandra or as everyone calls her, Xandra, is still trying to get used to the fact that she is half goblin and that the goblins want her as their Queen.This novel is set in modern day London with some steampunk elements, mainly the style of dress. The world has been divided by a plague that has left some people born as vampires, werewolves or goblins. The vampire and werewolf full-bloods often make up the aristocracy (aristos) and/or the rich. Then there are the halvies (half human, half vampire or werewolf) like Xandra. They are mainly trained and used as a Royal Guard to take care of the aristos but not always. Then there are just the plain jane humans. The humans outnumber the halvies and aristos but years ago they lost a war against the aristos so there is still a lot of prejudice. Sometimes the terminology can be a little confusing or overwhelming but there is a glossary at the end of the book to help explain some of those terms.Xandra’s brother, Valentine, has gone missing. He was last seen being kidnapped by some unsavory characters while investigating the disappearances of halvies from a bar. She enlists the help of the goblins and Val’s other sister Penny Dreadful to unlock the clues and find out where Val has been taken. In the meantime, Xandra is being investigated for murder, has to decide whether to become the goblin queen and has to find out who is attacking her and why. Oh yeah, and she has to try and prevent another all-out war between the vampires/werewolves/goblins and the humans. And, of course, all sides are playing her in a bid for the goblins strength in case of said war or even the possibility of a war between the werewolves and vampires themselves.There was really a lot of things going on with this story that at times it did seem overwhelming and I often wondered how things would tie together in the end. The Queen is Dead was a entertaining novel and I enjoyed how the author tried to tie in old time dress and values into a modern world. My only stupid complaint was trying to remember how everyone was related to Alexandra, I know parts of it were explained but I still kept forgetting who was who.Xandra is a tough as nails heroine who wants no ones help. Sometimes she is a little too tough. She takes charge of the situation no matter what – the consequences be damned. Of course, when she does ask for help, her plans always get blown to pieces so she is pretty much left to fix it herself. Although she does eventually find out what it is like to have good friends and goblins on her side.Overall, The Queen is Dead was a fun (if at times a little dark) read but that is what I like about urban fantasy. I would recommend this book for fans of urban fantasy with a twist of steampunk. I do want to see what is next for Xandra and this strange world that she lives in.Notable Scene:His fork clattered to his plate. I think he might have actually barked in frustration. “Enough. I adore you like mad, but woman, make up your fucking mind. You’re agoblin, and no amount of whining and wishing it were different can change that. Do you think Victoria wanted to rule the Kingdom when she was but eighteen years old? The goblins want you as their queen – a position with decidedly more clout and power than the one you currently hold. I know you don’t want to be a monster, but sweetheart, you don’t need a crown to be a monster. You already are one. We’re all monsters. Not many,however, get asked to be the ruler of the most feared and fucking loyal creatures on the planet.”I stared at him. Every word he said was true, but only three echoed in my empty skull. “You adore me?” It wasn’t love, but I’d take it.For a moment he looked as though he didn’t know whether to throttle me or kiss me. “Is that the only part you heard?”“No, I heard it all. That’s just the part I liked best.”Vex smiled. “Eat your breakfast.”“Aren’t you going to ask if I adore you?”A shake of his head sent a lock of hair falling over his forehead. “I already know the answer,” he informed me with a smile.FTC Advisory: Orbit/Hachette Book Group provided me with a copy of The Queen is Dead. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is the second book in The Immortal Empire series. I know the third book in the series will be titled, Long Live the Queen, and release in October 2013. I am unsure of whether there will additional books in this series after that one. I really enjoyed this book, it was just pure fun. I listened to this on audiobook. The narrator does a stellar job of capturing Xandra’s personality perfectly. I read the first book in this series in paperback and listened to this second book. This was one of those series where I actually enjoyed listening to it more than reading it!Xandra is struggling to find her place in the world. She is unsure whether or not she should accept the crown of the Goblin Queen. Then her sister shows up, upset that their brother has gone missing. Xandra is forced to use her Goblin connections to try and figure out where he has gone. Vex, of course, is at her side to bring some werewolf sensibility to the mission.Xandra is trying to get her life back together after finding out she is the Goblin Queen. When her brother goes missing she is dead set on investigating his disappearance. Xandra grows a lot in this story. She learns to set aside some vendettas and take up her responsibilities. It was fun to watch her grow and change into a better person.Xandra is plucky, tough, fun, and loyal. I really enjoy her as a heroine. Vex is the perfect counterbalance; he loves her and respects her...but he also doesn't let Xandra get away with being irresponsible or shying from decisions that need making.I love the world this story is set in. Modern day London but with goblins, vamps, weres, and halfies. You have vampires and weres as the Royals. Goblins as the race that everyone is terrified of and halfies dealing with the fallout. The world is an absolute blast and you never know what you will find around the next corner.The story is action packed and full of mystery. The book clips along at a good pace and is very engaging. The book is well written and fun. Mostly this is a mystery, but there is some relationship stuff going on between Xandra and Vex. The plot definitely isn’t romance driven though. This is more of a high octane urban fantasy read.Overall this was a delightful and absolutely enjoyable book. This book was incredibly fun to read and very well put together. Xandra and Vex have a lot of tough problems thrown their way, but they react like mature adults and still have fun on the ride. Highly recommended for fans of urban fantasy with a Victorian flare.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Kate Locke continues to dazzle readers with her spunky, fierce heroine, Xandra Varden. The Immortal Empire series began with God Save the Queen where Locke introduced readers to an alternate world where England is still under the rule of Queen Victoria, and she's not human. In fact she's one of the plagued, supernaturals with the blood of werewolves, vampires, or goblins. Xandra learned shocking truths that changed her view of her family and of the Aristocracy, the people she believed, as a half-blood, she was born to protect. Now that Xandra knows that she is actually a fully plagued goblin, she has to choose whether she'll officially accept their crown or walk away from it all.The Queen is Dead is just as fascinating and fantastically cool as God Save the Queen! As readers are guided deeper into Xandra's world the more intricate it seems. There are many secret plots afoot and Xandra stumbles upon them as she searches for her missing brother. Val was investigating the disappearances of half-bloods from Freak Show, but taken when he came too close to the truth. It takes all of Xandra's resources, which included enlisting the help of her goblins, to wade through the deceptions put forth by the Aristocracy.After the death of Xandra's younger sister, Dede, life hasn't gone back to normal. Xandra has separated from her brother and sister, living alone in a mostly human neighborhood. Even there she's targeted by the Human League and the press; the public is afraid of the Queen of Goblins. The one constant in a life in which normal is no longer definitively defined is Vex MacLaughlin, but even Xandra's burgeoning relationship could be pushed past its limits. Vex's wolves are pushing for a political alliance with the goblins. Even Xandra's mother, Juliet, is pushing for an alliance with her faction of rebels. Xandra's mother is another aspect of The Queen is Dead that makes it even more intriguing. Since discovering that her mother is not only alive, but she's the leader of traitors to the Crown, she hasn't quite recovered from the shock. Xandra is someone who would protect another to the death, just for the fact that they're blood related, but she doesn't quite have that mentality when it comes to her mother. I thought it was sad that Xandra doesn't have the strongest relationship with either of her parents, but it doesn't change how powerful or thoughtful she is. She's one of those characters that make you believe she's more than the figment of a brilliant author's imagination, a character you could could on to have your back when life gets too rough.I love the direction this series is going. Locke knows how to keep you interested in a world that's so different from our own with great characterization and suspenseful storytelling. When I think of the Immortal Empire series I think of fantasy with a edgy twist and an unpredictability that keeps shocking and intriguing me. I am waiting in strained patience for Long Live the Queen!*Book provided via publisher in exchange for an honest review*