The Above and the Under have a tenuous truce that is shattered after the death of both their respective rulers. Gemma, the new queen of Under, must throw history aside and team up with Tollan, the heir to the Above throne, in order to take down a power that seeks to rule them all.

Their group of rebels is comprised of an assassin, a sex worker, and a palace servant from Above, and we follow their unique perspectives as they are forced to question previously held beliefs. But even with war looming, romance still grows. Challenging gender roles and the expectation that every prince must have a princess, Tollan discovers love with Elam—a young man, a sex worker, and one of Gemma’s closest friends.

Out May 8th, 2018

MY THOUGHTS:

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

BAM! Excellent start! Fast-paced and filled with action right at the start and never lets up for the entire book.  A quick-read that’s over before you know it.

The New Queen’s character was intriguing and drew me in.  I loved how she continued to develop as the story progressed.  The magic world was amazing, well drawn out and explained, established perfectly.  I wanted more.

There is a romance element, but nothing distracting from the main concept and the graphic scenes may make this book more appropriate for those over age 16. I think it would do better as an adult fantasy, but we’ll see.

I loved this book. I gave it: