Thank you to KayLynn Flanders, Delacorte Press, and Netgalley for sharing this copy in exchange for my honest review! This review is accompanied by a fun moodboard I created for the book! It’s mostly based off of Jennesara and the kingdom of Hálendi.
The kingdom of Hálendi is in trouble. It's losing the war at its borders, and rumors of a new, deadlier threat on the horizon have surfaced. Princess Jennesara knows her skills on the battlefield would make her an asset and wants to help, but her father has other plans. As the second-born heir to the throne, Jenna lacks the firstborn's--her brother's--magical abilities, so the king promises her hand in marriage to the prince of neighboring Turia in exchange for resources Hálendi needs. Jenna must leave behind everything she has ever known if she is to give her people a chance at peace. Only, on the journey to reach her betrothed and new home, the royal caravan is ambushed, and Jenna realizes the rumors were wrong--the new threat is worse than anyone imagined. Now Jenna must decide if revealing a dangerous secret is worth the cost before it's too late--for her and for her entire kingdom. This is a spoiler-free review! There’s lots of secrets in this novel, so I’m sorry if I’m vague, but I want everyone to have the same reading experience I did, where everything is a surprise. Feel free to email or DM if you want to chat in-depth! Three days later, I’m STILL thinking about Shielded! My heart was in my throat for the last 25%, and I can’t urge you strongly enough to go read this book. Featuring magic, kingdoms, and all of the things that make my fantasy-loving heart tick. Shielded is pretty straightforward as a fantasy—it’s not exactly morally grey, but I tore through it in just a few days. Jenna’s relationship with her family was one of my favorite parts. I could definitely feel her love for her brother and father, and this also raised some interesting plot points. On her own, Jenna is brave and heroic as expected, even though she’s struggling with a secret at times. She grows into herself over the course of the novel, which I loved to see. She was incredibly bold and strong at the end in a way I don’t think she’d have become without the events beforehand. We LOVE to see character progression! We LOVE understanding a character’s motivation and what makes them tick! Furthermore, we love an interesting plot line! Shielded is full of running and chasing, and you’re never *quite* sure when everyone will be safe and who Jenna can trust, but that’s what makes it fun. The beginning starts out a bit slow, but it picks up soon after that and then it’s unputdownable. One of the reasons for this is a cute new romance that everyone will fall for. There’s a little bit of pining, but mostly just cuteness! Lots of mutual life-saving as well, which is always fun. The only thing I was confused about was the motives of the villain. I wish that character had been fleshed out a bit more instead of dropped in at the end of the story. I’m hoping some of my questions can be answered in book 2, which is forthcoming! I honestly don’t know how I can wait over a year to find out what happens next in Hálendi. Overall, 5 stars for action and excitement! Shielded will definitely shock you out of a reading slump.
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Sixteen-year-old Eva is a princess, born with the magick of marrow and blood--a dark and terrible magick that hasn't been seen for generations in the vibrant but fractured country of Myre. Its last known practitioner was Queen Raina, who toppled the native khimaer royalty and massacred thousands, including her own sister, eight generations ago, thus beginning the Rival Heir tradition. Living in Raina's long and dark shadow, Eva must now face her older sister, Isa, in a battle to the death if she hopes to ascend to the Ivory Throne--because in the Queendom of Myre only the strongest, most ruthless rulers survive.
When Eva is attacked by an assassin just weeks before the battle with her sister, she discovers there is more to the attempt on her life than meets the eye--and it isn't just her sister who wants to see her dead. As tensions escalate, Eva is forced to turn to a fey instructor of mythic proportions and a mysterious and handsome khimaer prince for help in growing her magick into something to fear. Because despite the love she still has for her sister, Eva will have to choose: Isa's death or her own. A River of Royal Blood is an enthralling debut set in a lush North African inspired fantasy world that subtly but powerfully challenges our notions of power, history, and identity. I see a lot of comps to Children of Blood and Bone to this one, which… I’m not sure why, because this is a whole different thing, and I loved every second of it! I picked up A River of Royal Blood (hereafter referred to as “River” for simplicity) on Libby because I was needing more fantasy in my life (gotta be reading at least one at all times!) and was completely blown out of the water. First off—what I love about fantasy books is the invention of new magic systems and realms. Amanda Joy created not only an intriguing political environment but also creative uses of magick to complement it! Eva’s story is not only about fighting to become Queen, but also learning more about her magick and who she is willing to be as a person. There was zero info-dumping or unnecessary exposition, and readers’ exploration of the world perfectly matches Eva’s journey within it. The fast-paced plot unfolds alongside Eva’s slower reckoning with her magick, and the pacing is also perfect. I enjoyed how readable the novel was—I finished in around a day, which was a much-needed break for me from some heavier novels. Three divisions separate the moments of character development, which provided a tangible connection to Eva’s overall journey. One of Joy’s main strengths is linking scenes together. I never wanted to put the book down, even when I was telling myself “just one more chapter.” One turned into two turned into breathless page-turning as all of the action bled between chapters and I couldn’t stop reading. I promise you there’s no reason for you not to pick up this book. Our main character, Eva, is a typical strong female character: she’s a Princess and she can fight, but she has so much else going for her. She’s survived cold and detached family members, a legacy that means she’ll have to kill her only sister or die herself, and societal shame for not knowing how to use her blood and marrow magick. She’s got so much to deal with, but Eva always gets up to fight another day. That’s what I love most about her, and what will make her a role model to generations of young women. Aaaand… in addition to all of the wonderfulness listed above, we get an adorable romance too!! I won’t say much, but Eva & that “handsome khimaer prince” mentioned above make a pretty great pair. Overall: 5/5 stars. How could it be anything but that. Read this book!! Hi y'all. It's been a rough week, especially for those of us in the US right now. George Floyd's murder by a police officer in Minneapolis was an atrocity, and I stand with every protestor across my country. Black lives matter. We need legislation against police brutality, support for Black businesses, creators, and voices, and to eradicate white supremacy. I don't have anything in particular to share right now because in my real life I'm working to be a good ally and supporter for the Black Lives Matter movement. There's a lot of information flying around, so I want to take this chance to first share some resources and links on educational readings, places to donate, and also highlight three YA books out today by Black authors.
Please add more organizations in the comments! I'd love to expand this post! And now for the YA content you know me for!! Three amazing YA's by Black authors released today, and I want you to support them! I've included buy links for Bookshop.org (both with and w/o my affiliate link), Barnes & Noble, and libro.fm, but if you have a local indie, especially a bookstore owned by a Black business owner, it'd be great if you'd consider ordering from them instead! Please stay safe and healthy! I love you all--feel free to email/DM on socials if you want to talk!
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The BaronessHey, I'm Shreya! I love to read, write, travel, and drink tea. Disclosure: I am an affiliate of bookshop.org and I will earn a small commission if you click the above link and make a purchase.
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