Q is for Queen

This year I’m taking a break from Faerie and doing an A to Z of my TBR (to be read) list instead. Each letter will have books starting with that letter on my list, a book I’ve read and reviewed (with the review!) and one of my books matching the letter with a link about more info about the book. I’ve decided not to include words like “A”, “The” and “An” during this challenge.

My TBR

About the Book I’ve Read

I got these books as they were released, but never got around to reading them despite being a big Holly Black fan. Sigh. Good thing I decided to do this reading challenge.

Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

Check it out on Goodreads.

My Review

The Cruel Prince

Set in the world of faery courts we know from previous books, but in a realm all its own, Elfhame is where only fae live, with the few humans they take there (changelings, through bargains, or in the case of Jude, family ties).

Being raised by a redcap made her wise in battle strategy, yet she still somehow manages to make one of the princes of faerie her biggest enemy. Or is that frenemy?

As always with the fae, nothing is what it seems, and once Jude works through various puzzle pieces she comes in possession of through various changes in faerie, she does what she has to do to save her world and her family.

An intriguing read. Not for the faint of heart.

Trigger warning: violence, blood, gore, murder, enemies to lovers romance, deception, family drama.

The Wicked King

As a mortal, Jude was juggling too much – just as her predecessor foretold. But being advisor to the High King of Faerie is more power than Jude thought she could ever have.

Of course, the only family member of hers I trust is Vivi – and that’s with pockets lined in salt.

Poisoning herself to build immunity, not sleeping enough, and running herself haggard ruling Faerie from the shadows was going to take its toll – and it did.

I can’t wait to see what she does next. After all, Vivi did say that revenge is sweet, but ice-cream is sweeter.

A dark romance full of intrigue; not for the faint of heart.

Trigger warning: violence, blood, gore, murder, enemies to lovers romance, deception, family drama.

The Queen of Nothing

A rollercoaster! So many emotions, so many twists – and a terrific ending.

The imagery, the relationships, the worldbuilding – and then Jude who does the right thing even when it’s hard, even when it breaks her heart.

I loved her relationship with the hag, Mother Marrow, and with the redcap, Grima Mog. So much fun!

And it turns out that her sisters, her brother, and her stepmother aren’t as bad as I thought. But then Cardan did also turn out to be a decent guy – even more so once all the prophecies have played out.

There’s so much to say about this book, about this series: but I’ll keep it short and say that this trilogy is my favourite from all the stories in this author’s faerieland. (And it’s much richer if you’ve actually read all the ones before it.) I do acknowledge that it might pull readers from the tale if they aren’t familiar with all the creatures of faerie as there are few explanations given. But for me, I loved it.

Highly recommended, if not for the faint of heart.

My Book

Queen of Nightmares

I hope you enjoyed this. For more books I’ve read and reviewed, check out either my Pinterest board about reviews or my Goodreads profile. Alternatively, you can check out my reviews on BookBub. Have you read any of the books? Loved or hated any of them?

*FYI, my reviews are my honest opinion and if something bothers me, I tell it straight. How else will anything change? My opinions are based on being a voracious reader and book buyer, not an attack on the author.*