Thank you to Tor Teen for sharing this copy in exchange for my honest review! I also created a moodboard down below, to give you a feel for the book. If you’re interested in entering the #TheRoyalTreatment sweepstakes, head here! To see Sarah on virtual tour for the novel, check out the tour graphic also included below.
A PRINCESS A STABLE BOY A QUEST When her father dies, Princess Amarande is given an ultimatum: Marry the leader of one of the four neighboring kingdoms, or lose her crown—and possibly her life. And to force her hand, her beloved, the stable boy Luca, is kidnapped. But Amarande was raised to be a warrior, not a sacrifice. And nothing will stop her from saving her true love and rescuing her kingdom. The acclaimed author of Sea Witch turns the classic damsel-in-distress tale on its head with this story of adventure, identity, and love. I LOVED Sea Witch, so I was thrilled to try a new adventure from Sarah Henning, especially because The Princess Bride is one of my favorite movies. I ended up really enjoying this novel, and I think you all will find reading it a delightful way to spend an afternoon. I was drawn to The Princess Will Save You by its promise of high stakes adventure, and it did not disappoint! Half the book had me with my heart in my throat, and after the first couple of chapters I didn’t want to put it down. I basically tore through it in two sittings, and at 368 pages it’s a medium sized read. There’s no magic in the story currently, but royal politics and intrigue abound because of the Land of Sand and Sky’s division between kingdoms. I love royalty YA, so I was totally prepared for this one. The back-alley dealings of rogue princes and the intentions of our heroine princess to keep her crown are nothing new to YA per se, but the fact that this is a Princess Bride retelling (with all the complications of the original, minus the humor to my dismay) kept enough originality and I was never bored. Amarande’s quest to rescue Luca and gain her throne is understandable, and I became so angry on her behalf for the lack of agency allowed to her by the patriarchal customs of her continent. This is the easiest way to infuriate me, so no wonder I was on Amarande’s side so quickly. I do feel that she could have used a bit more victory in the book though. She won a few of her battles, but I wish I could feel like Amarande had gained more by the end of the story. To my current understanding, this is a duology, so… can’t she have a little win or two? The duology point brings me to the fact that I didn’t realize that this is the first book in a series when I started it, so I totally wasn’t expecting that ENDING!! It’s cliffhanger time, y’all! I was totally shocked when I turned the page and there was no next chapter, especially because I haven’t read a book with a cliffhanger ending in ages. I will absolutely be reading the next book, and I eagerly await any news on it. Overall, I give The Princess Will Save You 4/5 stars—it’s perfect for any fantasy reader, even if you haven’t seen The Princess Bride. If you have, you’ll get to smile at a few more references and understand some of the plot's inspiration.
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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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