Every year, three Fae ambassadors journey to the mortal realm and select a new queen, but after two years, no one ever sees these queens again. Whether they move on to a better kingdom to rule…. or someone takes their lives, no one knows.
Althea’s clever but crafty father raises her after the disappearance of her mother. Thievery and deception are not above them, but Thea longs for something great. A chance to show her art to the world.
Her life turns upside down when the Fae ambassadors choose her as the next mortal queen. They transport her to a realm that is more beautiful and deceitful than she is, but she quickly catches onto their games and… their lies. She realizes she now has only two years to outsmart the seven Fae kings if she wants to live. No one has ever done it before, except for a rumor of a girl from ages ago. Althea races against literal ticking clocks and makes dangerous deals in a fight for survival, unsure of whom she can trust in this deadly world.
I loved Mortal Queens. Now granted, though I love fantasy, I have not read many books with Fae. Your girl is more of a sword-wielding-rugged-prince-meets-an-elf-princess kind of reader, but I loved this world of tricks and puzzles. Where cleverness is a lifeline and trust is a rare commodity.
I adored Thea and her fighting spirit. However, I had mixed feelings about the mysterious young king with an uncracked heart. The ending is quite the cliffhanger and I’m so ready for book two coming out at the end this year!!!
Scoresheet:
Spice/Romance: Clean read/No spice. Mild kissing
Violence: Nothing graphic and almost no physical fights
Morals/Worldview: Good morals.
Recommended reading age: 15+
