A few characters show mind controlling powers, where as Princess Eva has marrow and blood magick.

There is a magick system in place in this world and everyone who has magick seems to have their own different strengths. The queendom of Myre finds it’s ruler with the Rival Heir tradition, where two sisters who are of age (17+) will find to the death and winner takes the crown. There are humans, fey, bloodkin, khimaer and more lands we will discover in book two I’m sure. The strength of this book is the world building because my goodness it is rich, colorful and so diverse.

The plot of the two sisters fighting for the crown also takes a bit of a back seat until the end. If you don’t like slow building fantasy then this book might put you off. It may seem like a lot of info dump but I think in this case it is needed because this imagined world is intricate and detailed. Thank you to Putnam and Bookishfirst for giving me a chance to win this ARC of A River of Royal Blood.Ī young adult fantasy book about sisters dueling to the death for a crown? It sounds reminiscent of other sibling rivalry books out there but this one definitely stands out!Ī River of Royal Blood took me two days to finish, because it’s one of those books that set the backdrop for what’s to come in this series. Because despite the love she still has for her sister, Eva will have to choose: Isa’s death or her own.Ī River of Royal Blood is an enthralling debut set in a lush North African inspired fantasy world that subtly but powerfully challenges our notions of power, history, and identity. 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.

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.

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. 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. Sixteen-year-old Eva is a princess, born with the magick of marrow and blood–a dark and terrible magick that hasn’t been seen for generations in the vibrant but fractured country of Myre. Categories: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Adventure, Sibling Rivalry, Blood Magicĭisclaimer: **I won this book from Bookishfirst in exchange for an honest review.

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