The Crown's Game (The Crown's Game #1)

                Hello happy readers!  Another exciting day hopefully full of reading and other goodies.  Today I’m sharing a review for a debut book that was originally posted at No BS Book Reviews, here.  This debut book is one I was anticipating hard and even more excited when it was in my hands and that is The Crown’s Game by Evelyn Skye!

Rating:  5 Stars

                This has been one of my most anticipated books of 2016 after I heard about it and having read it the sequel is my most anticipated book whenever it comes out!  OMG AMAZING!  I was completely blown away by this story and everything in it.  Enchanters and magic, secret games, murder plots, a beautiful and amazing world, political intrigue, strong characters and lots of feels galore.  It had everything.

                We follow several characters but the primaries are Vika and Nikolai our tow enchanters and Pasha, Nikolai's best friend and heir to the throne.  Vika has grown up away from everything only training to one day be the Imperial Enchanter, never knowing that she would have to battle it out for the position.  Nikolai however has known he would have to play a game for the roll but even he didn't know how series the stakes were.  Death for one.  These are serious stakes.  More so when overtime all three form a connection of sorts.  It's not easy to kill someone you don't know but to kill someone you care for seems impossible.  As a reader it was difficult knowing one was meant to die, trying to figure out as I read who I liked more so I wouldn't get too attached to the wrong one but it was hopeless as I didn't want either to die! 

                I really enjoyed getting to know all the different characters and how they have different quirks about themselves.  From the mains to the supporting characters who played just as big of a part.  From their mentors or servants and bakers to the Tsar and royal family themselves each one plays a part and they are introduced for a reason but I never felt like they were only there to move the story along each one felt natural and purposeful.  The friendships and relationships between the different characters both good and bad were deep.  My favorite being the friendship between Nikolai and Pasha!  Those two were so on point and just a ying and yang of one another in the perfectly balance way.

                The world is so beautiful and while I have never been to Russia I felt like I have seen a piece of it.  A piece of history wrapped up in magic and wonder.  The scenes described where so real, my favorite parts involved benches.  Vivid and miraculous to say the least.  The magic of the world was explained in a way that I understood but I see room for more to be explained through the series as we discovered new information, from nymphs and healers and more.

                The Crown's Game had a bit of everything in it and I highly recommend it because I need people to talk to about it!  Everything tied in nicely from the romance to the political aspects to the game itself.  The game was not what I originally expected a battle between the two in the traditional sense but a competition which I liked a bit better having finished it, with the tasks which pulled you into each page imagining each one as they played out.  The book is impossible to put down and quick to fly through IMHO! 

                There's nothing else I can say without giving away some spoilers which I just can't bring myself to do because uncovering it all is half the fun.  I do recommend this and would love to hear what everyone thinks of this.  I know I'm ready for book two already! I’d love to hear your thoughts and feels in the comments below!

                Until next time…

~Waiting on Wednesday~ Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

                So a brief note before the usual Wednesday post.  Tomorrow is Thanksgiving so I will not be posting but working then shopping (AKA people watching because wow it's fun to watch crazy people).  Still while I won't be posting anything I would like to wish all of my wonderful readers a happy and safe holiday.  May you spend it with those who make you happiest and a good book when they start to drive you mad ;)

                “Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.  Basically books that are not yet out that we are dying to get our hands on.  This week’s pick is:

Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

Out:  1/5

From Goodreads:

On a continent ruled by three empires, some are born with a “witchery”, a magical skill that sets them apart from others.

In the Witchlands, there are almost as many types of magic as there are ways to get in trouble—as two desperate young women know all too well.

Safiya is a Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lie.  It’s a powerful magic that many would kill to have on their side, especially amongst the nobility to which Safi was born.  So Safi must keep her gift hidden, lest she be used as a pawn in the struggle between empires

Iseult, a Treadwitch, can see the invisible ties that bind and entangle the lives around her—but she cannot see the bonds that touch her own heart.  Her unlikely friendship with Safi has taken her from life as an outcast into one of reckless adventure, where she is a cool, wary balance to Safi’s hotheaded impulsiveness.

Safi and Iseult just want to be free to live their own lives, but war is coming to the Witchlands.  With the help of the cunning Prince Merik (a Windwitch and ship’s captain) and the hindrance of a Bloodwitch bent on revenge, the friends must fight emperors, princes, and mercenaries alike, who will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch.

Why I’m Waiting:

               So I had the chance to meet Susan when she surprised her friend Sarah J. Maas at her signing and together they were just hilarious.  I was reminded of my friends and I just wanted to go get some coffee or drinks with them and just jabber on about anything and everything because they seemed that awesome.  Now I already loved Sarah J. Maas but had only seen the covers of Susan’s books before didn’t know about them but I left wanting to read them.  The most prominent in my mind was Truthwitch because she was talking about it, and Sarah was raving about it as well, apparently being best friends with the authors means you get the book way before there is an ARC.  So that was enough for me right there plus it sounds pretty amazing with lots of fantasy elements and magic and even better girl power!  Gal pal friendships are the best and I realize there are not a ton that focus on that as a main element.