Title A River of Royal Blood (A River of Royal Blood #1)
Author Amanda Joy
Release Date October 29, 2019
Description from Amazon
Sixteen-year-old Eva is a princess, born with the magick of blood and marrow–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.
Initial Thoughts
This new release kinda flew under the radar for me. I didn’t pre-order it and it wasn’t in any of my subscription boxes. I saw it on Audible and decided to give it a go.
Some Things I Liked
- Inspiration. I was fascinated by the North African inspiration for this story. I haven’t read much about the history there but I want to now.
- Plot twists. Oh the plot twists. I’ll be honest, I kinda saw through the big one, but I did like the suspense that this book had. You were never too sure who was trustworthy and who wasn’t. To be honest, I’m still not sure.
- Magic and world building. I thought the magic system was intricate and unique. The tattoos added an extra element that I thought was well thought out. I also enjoyed the various species and inter-species relationships that this book used. Instead of potentially feeling like a sci-fi book, this felt very fantasy and I liked that.
Series Value
I would definitely continue with this series. The suspense and plot twists were captivating and left me wanting more.
Final Thoughts
I am happy that I stumbled upon this book. I liked the subject matter, loved the magic system, and found a series that I would both continue with and strongly recommend.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Recommendations for Further Reading
- Kingdom of Souls by Rena Barron – if you liked the elements of bone magic and magic with dangerous consequences, check out this book by Rena Barron.
- Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas – if you like magic, plot twists, and a great cast of characters, check out this series by Sarah J. Maas (I can’t recommend this series enough).
Books Over Everything 