Epic eco-fantasy. 2020 Kindle Book Awards Finalist. Standalone Bk 1 in an award-winning trilogy. 2020 IPPY and Royal Dragonfly Award winner.One misfit girl and 50,000 bees against the might of the Citadel.Mielitta, a despised servant of mysterious origins, yearns to be an adult and fit into Citadel society but the all-powerful mages won’t even consider her for the Maturity Test. As they fight … consider her for the Maturity Test. As they fight amongst themselves, Mielitta overhears their secrets and plans to escape.
Bastien and Jannlou, the boys who terrorised her as a child, have grown into their status as Mages and she cannot escape them forever.
In desperation, she flees to the forbidden Forest and its dangerous attractions. Her scent angers thousands of bees and, although she survives their attack, she has changed. As a bee-shifter, Mielitta sees the world differently.
This bond works both ways and the bees need Mielitta’s help as the rift widens between Forest and Citadel. Can Mielitta find the fulfilment she craves or will the Mages crush every cell of her second nature?
Block Nature out and she’ll force a way in.
‘Gill’s work stands apart through its strikingly inventive concept, distinctive sense of place, and masterful use of imagery.’ 10 out of 10, The Booklife Prize
‘A brilliantly imagined fantasy with a strong environmental message.’ Ashley Dyer
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I’m only half-way through, but I’m loving this book so much, I have to share. Book 1, The Queen of the Warrior Bees, read like a rich, complex fairy tale I’d somehow missed. This one has the same quality. it is so real! And there is magic, a Forest outside a Citadel, and an interior dialog with a hive of bees. The writing is brilliant, the world is unique, and the story is so engaging I can hardly put it down.
Queen of the Warrior Bees (Natural Forces Book 1)
By: Jean Gill
5 out of 5 stars
The story Queen of the Warrior Bees (Natural Forces Book 1) by Jean Gill is what I would consider a YA/fantasy book. It is a story that I found myself captivated by both the storyline and the characters. It drew me in from the very beginning and didn’t let me go until I had finished the final page. I loved reading about the character of Mielitta. She is a young girl who finds herself in the forbidden Forest where her scent angers thousands of bees. She survives the attack, however, has changed. Mielitta is someone that I found others look down on. She doesn’t seem to have a place in the Citadel where she lives. I grew to care about Mielitta with each chapter that I read. She is also a character that doesn’t dismiss when new experiences happen to her. She tries to understand them. There is a rift that is widening between The Forest and The Citadel. What does the future hold? What does the future hold for Mielitta? Read this book to find out. I have always been in awe of authors that write fantasy stories. They create new worlds with their own rules and guidelines. This book is a perfect example of why I love fantasy books. My hat off to the author for creating a tale that is not only fun to read but was thoughtful as well. I enjoyed reading about the additional characters. Some of them are complex and I wasn’t quite sure what their motives were. Others were very upfront as to their agenda. Don’t miss out reading an amazing story. Highly recommended.
Jean Gill is an excellent storyteller creating a wonderful world where perfection is the goal in the Citadel. Not all are treated equally in this world and those who do not measure up are ‘suppressed’, a euphemism for turned to ash. Mielitta, a clever young woman who is a misfit in this world, learns of the Forest which is forbidden as it brings illness and allergies to the people of the Citadel. Obviously well researched is the world of bees presented in the story. A wonderfully descripted characterization of society with political intrigues, magic, historical visions in the ‘walls’ and day to day toil carried out in a largely artificial environment. I thoroughly enjoyed the adventures of Mielitta in this fantastic world.
Forces of Nature
I have read several of Jean Gill’s novels, in at least three different genres. She has a very delicate touch, getting inside her characters and feeling their emotions, pains, and joys. This book could be construed as fantasy, starting with a dystopian world and expanding into what we would consider the real world, exploring from the viewpoint of a bee. I immediately became engrossed in the story, as the downtrodden outsider strove toward maturity and her new role in life. I won’t go into any more detail lest I provide spoilers, but strongly recommend this, or any other of this author’s books. Narration by Jannie Meisberger is thoughtful and subtle, moving you effortlessly into the soul of the book.
Mielitta is an eighteen year old girl, she is a servant in the Citadel of Perfection and she is despised by everyone around her and as hard as she tries to be invisible, there are ones who torment her relentlessly, but there are also those who ignore her as if she was never friends with them in the first place, this has led her to a life of loneliness and the only solace she finds is in the archery classes she runs with the children and the skill she has built up in it over the years. She also enjoys reading in the library when she has done her servants work, she is able to absorb the information like a sponge and this has led to a fascination with the Forest outside the Citadel, but whenever she tries to ask about it, she is tongue tied, she also suspects that the Maturity Test which she is not ready to take stops the adults from talking about it as well. Life in the Citadel is bland for Mielitta, just like the food and water they consume, the greylight which changes depending on the time of day and the building materials used to build her home.
When she wakes up on her eighteenth birthday, she receives a mysterious gift with a small phial of liquid and a riddle contained inside, the riddle makes no sense to her, but the liquid is full of scents and she is enthralled by them, but she is shocked to find that when she wears it, nobody around her can smell it. When she is given the task of taking refreshments to the Council Chamber, she discovers that something has happened in the outer defences and that the Forest beyond is gaining strength and preparing to attack Perfection, but when the conversation turns to the Forest and it’s dangers, Mielitta is wondering if the loss she has felt all her life is Nature, then something happens which shocks her to the core and she gains knowledge of how to access it, but as they declare that her mind has to be wiped of this knowledge, she quickly has to store it away somewhere they cannot get to it, but she can.
The next day she accidentally spills the last of the liquid on herself and the scent is overpowering, bus she soon gets lost in her daily activities and it becomes part of the background and while she is doing this, she uses the time to make a decision about her future and when she goes to visit her father and talk to him about it, her hopes of making it happen are dashed when someone takes the place she wanted, she rushes out to escape the sadness this causes her and instead heads to where she stored the memories, not believing that she would really find them, but when she does and it all comes rushing back to her, she is disturbed by her tormentors. They taunt Mielitta and when she dares to fight back, they proceed to chase her, she heads towards the gate where the memories guide her, she says the words and escapes into the Forest. When she gets out there, she feels, sees and experiences things for the first time and is drawn in deeper as she examines everything she sees, when she comes across a beehive and opens it, she is attacked by the bees within it.
When she wakes up after the ordeal, she sees all the dead bees around her, but when they disappear into an ultraviolet light, she discovers that she can also feel them within herself, however, she just ignores the buzzing and changes to her sight and other senses and returns to the citadel so that she isn’t missed. The next day when she discovers that there is an outline of a bee on her thigh, she also realises that she can hear the bees, she decides that this was her Maturity Test and she devises a plan to take the opportunity to become a woman on the outside to match the woman within her, it is after she has done this that she discovers a plot within the Citadel and the dangers associated with it while she is in the library, she also discovers the ability she has to be called to aid the bees in the hive she now belongs to.
Will Mielitta be able to use her new status and the bees help to foil the plot against the Forest, or will those who want to hurt her and the Forest succeed and wipe out everything outside of the Citadel and keep it in the Perfect state they want? This is a brilliant journey of personal discovery, danger and the wonders of nature which keeps you enthralled as plots are discovered and decisions are made which affect more than just Mielitta.
This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: Queen of the Warrior Bees: One misfit girl and 50,000 bees (Natural Forces Book 1)
Author: Jean Gill
Star Rating: 4.5 Stars
Number of Readers: 15
Stats
Editing: 8/10
Writing Style: 8/10
Content: 8/10
Cover: 10/10
Of the 15 readers:
13 would read another book by this author.
15 thought the cover was good or excellent.
10 felt it was easy to follow.
13 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 5 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 10 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
9 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
13 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
‘This is such a good fantasy story. I loved the ‘bee’ concept in the story. Also, I think Mielitta is an interesting character with lots of depth. The author is excellent at describing the forest and bringing the setting alive.’ Girl, aged 16
‘This book is all about power. From the beginning I wanted to know why the forbidden forest was forbidden. That drew me into the story. All in all, this is an exciting fantasy adventure with plenty happening to keep YAs happy. The ending was cool!’ Girl, aged 15
‘Brilliant start and I did enjoy the story. But it was rather slow and confusing in parts. I liked the environmental message.’ Boy, aged 14
‘All the bee stuff was sort of cool and felt original. A bit slow for me and the plot lost me, but I still enjoyed the story and rooted for the girl – and the bees!’ Boy, aged 15
‘Cool beginning, cool ending, mega-slow middle.’ Girl aged 15
To Sum It Up:
‘A thrilling fantasy adventure YA will love. A FINALIST and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
In a world where man and nature are at odds, can a foundling, a misfit of a girl bring them together? Mielitta has been bullied and picked on since childhood, especially by two particular boys. She manages to avoid them for the most part but now that they are mages she no longer can. In an effort to rid herself of their abuse she flees to the forest just as the mages are planning a war against nature. When she gets to the forest she is attacked by bees and their stings change her. She can now call them forth. How can she, even with new power, stop the fighting?
This is an epic Eco-Fantasy that takes a misunderstood misfit girl and challenges her to reunite nature and man. The author creates a whole new world and describes the characters of the characters are scenery in detail. Their is a lot of information in the first part of the book which can be hard to read. But the author creatively built world does come alive as you continue to read it. It is a coming of age book with a lot of bees attached. The interaction between the heroine and the bees is very interesting and unique. There are some deep meaningful environmental messages within the book which gives it a social context beyond just the telling of the story. Overall it is a good book full of interesting characters and ideas.
This is a book that needs consideration before choosing to read it. If you like fantasies then you will most likely really enjoy this book. But if you like easy reading books for quick entertainment you may be a bit frustrated by thus one. Good writing though.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Queen of the Warrior Bees (Natural Forces Book 1) by Jean Gill is such an amazing story. This book is scary and eye opening. It really makes you think about the world around you. I felt so many emotions while reading this book and it made me want to stand up for people’s rights. I definitely want to see what other books Jean Gill has written.
Queen of the Warrior Bees by Jean Gill is book 1 in the natural forces series. This is the first book I have read by this author and It was one of my favorite new reads this year. The writing was so descriptive and the book sucked me in from page 1. The character development and the uniqueness of this story was so great! I really enjoyed the entire book and read it in one sitting. This is definitely a book that I cannot wait to read the next and will definitely read anything this author writes in the future. Great read! I give this book a solid 5 starts. Can’t wait to see what this author does next.
Right off the bat there were so many things that intrigued me about this book. I absolutely adore bees so just reading the words warrior bees made me think “I need this book right now”. And I was not disappointed. Mielitta was found as baby and she believes that for this reason, she is kept as a servant and a child while all her peers are now considered adults. Most of her school friends also seem to have forgotten her somewhat. Is this some sort of magic or are they just all just huge jerks?
The Forest is forbidden and most people don’t question why. Mielitta can’t help but be curious when everyone else is content and I love her for that. How she experiences the world around her is extremely intriguing. Food and drink only taste of salt but her sense of smell has like 4 layers to it. She can assign colors to different scents as well as descriptive words she has only read but knows instinctively are accurate. Everything about this girl fascinating and had me tearing through this book for answers, especially after reading about the Councillors. They immediately seemed sketchy and their abilities made me distrust basically every word they said. They all seemed out for themselves no matter how much they said they were loyal to the Citadel.
I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book!
Queen of the Warrior Bees
By Jean Gill
4 stars
I took a step out of my comfort zone when I decided to give this book a read and overall I enjoyed it. It did take me a little time to get into and there were times when I wasn’t completely sure it was the book for me but I persevered and I’m glad I did. I think there is definitely more to the book than the blurb leads you to believe, the author’s detailed writing was good (however a little too much at times) and the story did have a good pace and flow to it. One of the things I did like about the book was how original and unpredictable it was and I certainly had to think about what I was reading to find the deeper meaning. The main character wasn’t quite what I was expecting and it took me a while to understand her however as the story went on I began to see the direction the author was trying to take her in.
Overall an interesting read and would definitely recommend it to readers who are looking for something a little different to try out.
This book is an adventure from start to end with twists and turns all the way through.
Mielitta is an orphan and an outcast in the perfect world. This world is man made and doesnt have any access to nature, or the Forest. Everyone lives in this bubble. Until one day Mielitta decides to venture into the Forest and gets attacked by bees.
So starts the journey and the relationship between Mielitta and her bees. They join forces to save the bees hive and when the time comes the bees repay the favour by helping Mielitta defeat the evil presence who rules Citadel.
Queen of the Warrior Bees by Jean Gill is a one of a kind original. The cover of the book caught my attention and I started reading and I was not disappointed. Jean Gill is a master storyteller. Once I started reading I could not put it down. Mielitta is a strong female character who finds herself in a bee swarm. The bees make her their own. Mielitta and the bees become one and that is when the story took off. The journey that Mielitta takes is one that she needs to make. What will Mielitta’s journey do for her? Will she stand up to those who would like to bully her around? I cannot wait to read the next book in this series,
This is quite the story. A whole new world full of rules, Magic and political intrigue. The story drew me in and only got more interesting as we learned more about the Citadel and the Forest. The author did a wonderful job with her descriptive paragraphs Letting the reader follow along on the journey. The characters really have quite the life going. Some of the stuff that goes on behind these walls is crazy. The bees….well I kind of feel they are the stars. I loved reading about their life and though process and such. Not doubting everything that Mielitta went through and I did love her connection to the other three characters we got to read about.
This is a first time author for me. This is a good teen magical story. Imaginative and full of adventure!
Oh Hey….Did you see that wonderful cover! Perfectly fits the story!
There is so much to enjoy in this story. It is the first book I’ve read by this author and certainly not the last. The writing is so detailed and descriptive that it is like watching a movie.
While this is considered Y/A Fantasy, it is also a political “thriller”. There is so much more in this story than appears on the surface.
I would recommend this to my younger cousins and adult book clubs alike.
Queen of the Warrior Bees (Natural Forces Book 1) by Jean Gill
5-Stars
Queen Of The Warrior Bees is book one in this creative and magical series. Mielitta is an excellent main character. I was fascinated with the way she comes into her power and also with her ability to block at the start of the book. The author did an amazing job on her and the supporting characters. The setting of this novel was fascinating and it amazed me how they seemed to create their own little world separate from nature. I look forward to more in this series and I highly recommend this book.
A great read about order. Mielitta is a young girl who hasn’t reached maturity in a fantasy world where everyone has. She continues her life as a servant despite being dissatisfied with life. One day, she serves wine at a meeting and discovers there is more to this world than she thought with a mysterious Forest nobody is allowed to enter.. Fleeing some bullies, she finds herself there and the wonders of the world are revealed to her. Can she keep it a secret and keep her life?
A great read. Well developed plot with twists and turns. Well developed characters like Mielitta trying her best and wanting more from life. Great cast of supporting characters like the bully Jannlou or the supportive Declsn.
I loved the visual detail throughout the novel like with the forest deep and green and tall trees with the wind for a sense of a magical undiscovered land of wonder. Or the wonderful use of the senses with the smells translating to words with their bright scents and colours so vivid its as if you’re actually thee. Or the water telling its story, revealing the world to us and her in a simple way and beautifully written.
A wonderful example of world building in a fantasy world with its own rules and societies and laws and histories. I loved the mystery around the Forest, making the reader wonder why the rules are there and keeps them reading to find out. I also loved the scenes with the Council, with different magical abilities from many fantasy novels with the hair and the words as something new and exciting. I also loved the use of the bees and her magic, something different to the fantasy genre, fresh and exciting. I also liked the bo and the bottle and the riddle with an air of mystery and magic from the start, wonderfully written in small details. The only issue I would raise is that there were some repetition at the beginning, which could have been reduced. Overall, a great read and I would give it five stars.
Queen of the Warrior Bees is the first book in Jean Gill’s Natural Forces series. It tells the story of Mielitta, a young woman struggling to find her place in a tightly controlled world where perfection is prized above all else. Developing magical bee powers doesn’t exactly help her fit in but does at least give her a sense of purpose as she now has to consider the bees’ agenda as well as her own.
Something I particularly enjoyed about this book is the focus on scent in descriptions of characters and places. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this much detail about how everything smells, and I love it! It added an extra dimension to everything and helped me to immerse myself in the scenes.
The world-building is great. There’s so much originality, presented to us in a way that feels familiar. The contrast between the dull Citadel and the vibrant Forest particularly stood out to me – kind of like a Dorothy landing in full-colour Oz.
The story is very intriguing. There are many mysteries to unravel and deceptions to overcome. Mielitta is observant and resourceful, enabling her and us to glimpse the secrets of the Citadel and reveal its corruptions.
This is an enjoyable book – it gets five stars from me! I’d recommend it to Young Adult fantasy fans with an interest in the environment – plenty of trees and bees! I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
What an original, captivating adventure!! This fantasy was nothing I expected and everything I hoped for. I simply loved the rich detail. Every character was vital, relevant, and richly voiced. Every page spoke volumes. What a masterpiece…I most definitely recommend this!
Queen of the Warrior Bees (Natural Forces Book 1) by Jean Gill was a different, original read, that kept my attention and kept me flipping the pages.
My first read by this author, I was caught by the beautiful cover and the original elements I found in the synopsis. I dove into this book, and I had it read in one sitting. Now though I say that, I did have some issues.
This book opens on a strong note, and the narrative was smooth and compelling, sucking you in. But at times it felt dull, there were some over-explaining, and too much detail on unimportant things (so much info on bees that really didn’t need to be in there), and the world building suffered for it. It’s sad to say, but as much as I loved this book, it fell into the, first book, set up, for the series, trap. I get why there was so much info, but, frankly, there should have been less on the bees, and more on the mess that was happening in the Citadel, and the actual plot that was happening there.
I loved the original concept of this book, and I did like the MC. She was cold, strong, and fierce, which is rare in most YA MC’s. I can see how that could be a turn off, but I very much enjoyed that part of her personality. I love the realism, and how when the main plot got underway, that it was more complex than simply nature is evil. It was complex, and hit home, as it does reflex some of our real life issues. (I don’t want to say cause I don’t want to spoil that aspect.)
Overall this book is an original fresh read that has lots of potential, with it’s deep inner working of human vs nature aspect. I will be following this series, so please take my high recommendation and my stamp of approval that you will find that this book is much more then it seems.
Happy Reading
-E.A Walsh