Review: Landry Park + Giveaway

Hello everyone! Welcome to the Landry Park blog tour! I'm so excited to share my thoughts on this fantastic book! Stick around to learn about the book and maybe win it yourself!  

Landry Park

by Bethany Hagen

Publishing: 2.4.14

Pages: 384

Downton Abbey meets The Selection in this dystopian tale of love and betrayal. In a fragmented future United States ruled by the lavish gentry, seventeen-year-old Madeline Landry dreams of going to the university. Unfortunately, gentry decorum and her domineering father won't allow that. Madeline must marry, like a good Landry woman, and run the family estate. But her world is turned upside down when she discovers the devastating consequences her lifestyle is having on those less fortunate. As Madeline begins to question everything she has ever learned, she finds herself increasingly drawn to handsome, beguiling David Dana. Soon, rumors of war and rebellion start to spread, and Madeline finds herself and David at the center of it all. Ultimately, she must make a choice between duty - her family and the estate she loves dearly - and desire.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advance copy in exchange for review. I did not receive any compensation for my thoughts, and all quotes are taken from the book are subject to change. 

Ever since I first saw the beautiful cover I knew I wanted
to read this. When I saw it blurbed as Downton Abbey meets The Selection I
wanted to even more. Dystopia meets Historical Society? Heck yes! And this book
did not disappoint! It was a read that kept me riveted the whole
day long.

Being a Dystopian it’s natural to see corrupted governments
and twisted futuristic settings. But what I found to be super unique about this
one was the fact that the politics of this world played a very big part of this
book. This isn’t something you often in young adult literature, but I loved it!
The tensions and problems that arise from the issues in this world and society
are the struggles and the plot of this book. I was riveted! There is drama and
romance aplenty, but the way the politics wasn’t shoved aside was what I really
loved.  It was intricate and interesting.
And I appreciated that our main character Madeline had a brain to keep up with
it all.

And then – on this
sprawling estate in this large house, on the brink of a revolution – I was
reminded of the power of the small. Small ideas, small acts, small people.  After all it was the furious industry of those
tiny atoms that fueled the stars, stares that then nourished planets, and
planets that the nourished life. Not matter how small I felt, how infinitesimal
my feeble gestures seemed, I was part of a larger chain, a large system, and so
help me I would bring order to this chaos.

Because the book does focus on a very political system of
injustice and cruelty to the poor, Landry Park raises san discusses quite a fe
thought provoking topics. That it was able to be pulled off with suck skill was
astounding. I was questioning myself and justifying right along with these
characters.

So it was okay if
lots of innocent people got hurt as long as it was not the one you cared about?

As far as our characters go we see quite the spread. This
book is very much of a Victorian society filled with parties and gossip just as
much as it is a thought-provoking dystopian. Despite seeing it through the eyes
of a learned girl more interested in books, doesn’t mean it’s right there. It
was a fun aspect, this society. Nothing I haven’t seen before, but still very
fun. The description of the balls was lovely and it was very vivid an event.

While I found this book fantastically fun there were a few
things I found slightly lacking. As far as our dramatics of the society go,
there were few side plots that I feel weren’t given all the attention necessary
to make it interesting and not so predicting. I saw the results coming a little
before we found out the revelation and took a slight chunk away from the
anticipation of it all.

As for the romance, we have a dashing set up. I love the way
our romantic male lead is set up. It’s all very fun and exciting…..until it
gets redundant in it’s methods. There were moments of brilliant swoons and then
it’s left to sit. It’s a ride of a romance that’s for sure. I just wished for a
little more from it! I guess I shall have to wait for book too.

“You’re brave.”

He shrugged. “Bullets
are just lumps of metal. A flash of pain or a quick death. But being a coward –
that’s something that eats away at you slowly from the inside. That’s what
really scares me.”

What I did love about the romance? The arguements. Not petty
arguments, but the debates between them.  It goes back to Madeline and her brains! They
conversations they could have! It was beautiful! It made the romance so much
more real, because it wasn’t just a pretty face and attraction.

My only other complaint would be the lack of some
world-building. It is the future and there were plenty of technology introduced
that I would have liked to get to know a little more. It’s not difficult to
figure out but if there had been just a tad more explanations I would have been
so much more comfortable with the world.

But on the whole, those complaints are drowned out in the
interesting story! It builds up to a fantastic end with heartbreak and happiness and so many questions! Rich in intelligence and fascinating political themes, Hagen's dystopian romance will intrigue you and make you yearn for more. If you are looking for a
fascinating read, this is the one for you!

About Bethany Hagen


Website - Twitter - Goodreads

Bethany Hagen Librarian by day, Bethany Hagen is the author of the forthcoming LANDRY PARK, set to be released from Dial February 4th. She lives in Kansas City with her husband and two children.

Bethany is so awesome! I got the chance to interview her for another special promotion to come back next month for that!

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