Read below for my spoiler-free review.

Rule was a pretty refreshing read as far as young adult fantasy goes. Lately, all I’ve been seeing are the same old tropes and non-stop action, but this book took a break from all of that and instead focused on more subtle plot points.

Rule is a story about three girls who are summoned by their king, who also happens to be their father. The girls are thrust into a situation in which only one of them will become queen. But, instead of commencing with combat trials or some sort of competition, as most YA books would do, the girls take on a journey of learning and intrigue on their path to the throne. This book is full of secrets, blackmailing, and political subtleties–all of which culminate in a dark, tense atmosphere that adds depth and complexity to the story. There is some action, but it doesn’t overwhelm as much as it supplements the events that take place. In my opinion, the lack of action didn’t bog down the pace of the book at all–in fact, all the new secrets we learn and the cliffhangers at the end of the chapters made Rule a page-turner. I couldn’t wait to see what happened.

My favorite part of this book was the characters, for many reasons:

Representation! This book was filled with a diverse cast of characters, most of which were described as having dark or tan skin and dark hair, and there was still a range of ancestries for all of them–they didn’t all hail from one place, just as POCs today aren’t all Asian or African. Goodlett also normalized bisexuality and homosexuality, which was wonderfully refreshing. She didn’t make a big deal about these relationships–they were completely accepted by society. There are super adorable relationships of both straight and gay couples.
History! All the characters had history before the story, as is to be expected. Sometimes I think that authors forget that their characters existed before their story is told. Goodlett thoroughly explored the past of our characters, which made them much more rich and dynamic, and it brought plenty of texture to the single setting.
Character and relationship development! Our main characters, the three half sisters, undergo lovely character development; each of them are fully fleshed-out human beings with difficult pasts and unique outlooks on life. I loved reading from all of their perspectives because they added an individual flavor to the story. My favorite aspect was seeing their relationship among each other slowly evolve. The love and companionship that grew was organic and unforced, and watching it unfold made my heart happy.
My one complaint is the world building. Goodlett was quite ambitious, and although I can see she had good intentions, some of it felt like an info dump. The beginning of the book was a bit confusing because we were trying to learn about the characters while also receiving lots of information about the world they live in. Because it is an important part of the story, I think this could have been done a little more gracefully and over a longer period of pages.

Actually, I have one more complaint. The story end on a completely unsatisfying note. It is a huge cliffhanger! I usually don’t like this because by the time the next book comes out, I’ve already forgotten/gradually lost interest in the story. If you’re like me, perhaps its best that you wait for the next book in the series to be released before even starting this one.

I was given this book to review. These are my thoughts on this book.
This is the first book. Three young women from different reaches of Colonya are brought together by royal invitation of the king. Each girl has been brought up in different cultures. They soon find out that they are daughters of the king. Half-sisters. One will be chosen to rule. There is more going on in the Keep than anyone knows. There is evil magic around.
Each of the daughters will have to find there own strength to fight the.evil in their fathers kingdom. Perhaps together the can help the kingdom prosper. That is if they live long enough.
I loved this book. I can't hardly wait for the next one. I kept hoping it would go on and on. The characters are exceptional. The storyline, excellent. I definitely recommend this book!!

I'm relatively certain that this is a case of an average book going up against some of the best fantasy I've ever read. It's been a great year of reading for me and at one point this book may have stood out but it fell so short for me.

We follow three girls who wind up being bastard children of an ailing King who need to go to court while the King decides who will be following him onto the throne. All three girls, Ren, Zofi, and Adelyn (maybe-I honestly forget her name) swap out POVs and I felt like I never got to know any of them well enough. The characters are underdeveloped and their relationship with one another was only solidified in the last 18% of the book which was much too late for me.

Each of the girls has a romance, of course, and none of them really intrigued me, but it was the most riveting part of the story. We have a bit of a scandalous rouge relationship, a f/f taboo (kinda) relationship and a bit of a love triangle...so the girls are bringing each trope to the table. I was underwhelmed by all of them, tbh. The one who could have had a compelling story ended up being a bad Cardan/Jude knock off -like weak sauce version.

In the end the magic system, the world, the relationships, and the characters were all underdeveloped and not compelling enough for me to continue with the series. Which is not to say it's a bad book or awful writing, just that I expect more from my fantasy and didn't connect with it.

Having just read Children of Blood and Bone, I wasn’t sure what to think of this book at first. I was worried it was a copycat. After the first few chapters, however, the plot became more clear and Rule came into it’s own. This YA fantasy had me with baited breath for much of the book. As someone who prides herself in being able to predict outcomes, I was unable to determine what was going to happen...and I loved it! I think what I loved most about this book is that although the three sisters were pitted against each other from the beginning, they united for a common cause and their bond strengthened. The only negative about reading this ARC pre-publication is that I have to wait even longer to read the next book—and there will definitely be a next book!

The King of Kolonya is dying, a secret only his closest consorts know. Three girls from the outer Reaches are summonsed only to discover they are the king’s illegitimate children, successors to the kingdom. Zofi, Akeylah, and Ren all have different experiences and knowledge to offer the kingdom but each one also harbors a dark secret, one that may seal their fate. Someone else in the kingdom knows what each of them has done and will stop at nothing to destroy their chance to Rule.

Rule is a YA magical fantasy duology that is also part mystery/whodunit. Each girl has a dark secret that links them to treason against the throne they are meant to rule. The first novel predominantly focuses on character building and the girls trying to discover who is blackmailing them. The story has a twist ending and leaves off with unresolved questions to be continued in the second book. Of all the sisters Zofi the feisty Traveler was my absolute favorite and I enjoyed her personality and backstory more than the other two characters. This novel does have some content that might not be suitable for all readers including physical abuse (Akeylah's back story) and the use of bloodletting to activate their magical abilities. I enjoyed this novel but at times it felt like the story was not progressing as quickly as I would have liked. Overall, the characters are likeable and the premise is interesting and entertaining and I will be curious to see how the second novel plays out.

Three very different girls who now may be queen. They've all got their secrets with blood on their hands and trying to figure out who knows is like navigating the best mystery novel (combined with a great fantasy concept). The magic is interesting and while it does involve bloodletting, I didn't find that it sensationalized cutting as they had to recover after offering their blood in exchange for a little bit of power. I cannot wait for the next one, because I need to know who's behind all this and I am totally invested in the three contenders for the throne.

The title of the book and the cover were what initially drew me to reading this book. I love reading about royals and the fact that it's a fantasy story made it even more interesting. I do have to say however, that after reading this story, I hope the cover changes to depict the royal insignia - the stormwing.

Rule is a very steady-paced story, with clever and creative world building throughout. I really liked how the three sisters were described, each of them quite different from each other in looks and personality. The author did a wonderful job describing the sisters' individual looks and mannerisms so that it was easy to depict between the three of them. Each sister comes from a different area of the Kingdom and with each kingdom there is some particular trait attached to them.

Akeylah comes from a broken family with a father who despises her and siblings not that much loving either. When she is dragged to the kingdom of Kolonya to meet the King, she is both frightened and curious. A heavy secret carries in her heart and conscience although she justifies her devious actions. Yet, she thinks she's taken to the king to be condemned somehow. Ren, or Florencia works in the court of the kingdom of Kolonya. As a lady's maid, she knows her ways around the royals and noble and hopes to gain favor with the higher nobles in order to rise above her current station. Little did she know that all of her subterfuge and trading of favors were not completely necessary as she too is summoned to the king. Zofi, known as a "traveler" lives with a band of rebels, a group of people like herself who hides and steals just to live decently. She is a fighter and aptly skilled at the blood arts - a tithing of blood that any Kolonyans were blessed with to help with whatever needs were necessary to make a living. All three sisters go to the royal court not knowing why they were summoned there or if their deadly secrets were going to be the deaths of all of them.

What made Rule so interesting to read was not just the world building, but the personalities of these three sisters. Truly this book is more about the sisters than the kingdom or the secrets that held the sisters in fear, yet also bonded them. Their secrets were instantly revealed to the reader and it was so fun to read about the ways they tried to hide their secrets and the things they had to do to keep them - because if anyone would find out, they would surely get executed.

Not to give away any spoilers, but someone threatens the sisters with revealing their secrets if they don't leave. The reason why they were brought to court was because they were "bastard" daughters of the present king, but only acknowledged and revealed after the true prince died, therefore leaving the sick king without any blood heirs to rule in his stead. The story has a rather simple plot but as mentioned, it is the relationship of these sisters and their personalities that really make this book shine.

There are parts in this story where it may have slowed down a bit but the descriptive narratives and scenery were still a joy to read through. There is definitely a part two of this story and I am eager to read the next installment. What you are led to believe about the ending isn't what you might have originally thought and there are more dangers and enemies than the sisters realize.

There are a few supporting characters that were very well written. I really liked the sisters but I also liked Elex, Zofi's friend and lover. Each of the sisters had a secret love for someone, and while I felt that was not particularly necessary, it didn't deter from the entire story either. All of the characters - major and minor were described very well which made the story all the more compelling and made me root for all the sisters until the very end. While the ending wasn't fully justified, it definitely opened up to more questions than answers. I will be keeping my eye out for book 2!

If you want to read a story about backstabbing nobles, unlikely sisters bonding through a common goal, and a very different and interesting fantastical world, then you'll enjoy reading Rule.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

Amazing book! I loved the tri-perspective as well as the interesting concepts in the book, like the blood tithing. Very cool and unique. That ending has me pumped for a sequel, too!

The cover initially drew me to this book. The blurb made me intrigued. I've always enjoyed fantacy books and this one did not disappoint. If you enjoyed Harry Potter, then I think you will like reading Rule as well. The world of Kalonya and it's different areas or Reaches was interesting to discover. The premise of three different heirs to the crown of Kalonya not raised knowing who they were, drew me in. I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading. Each Zofi, Akeylah and Florencia are taken from the homes they have know all their lives and brought before the king where they discover they are each his daughters and one of them will become the next heir to the throne. Intrigue and drama ensue as each girl realizes their past lives events have dramatic bearing on their future. Be warned though, there is a cliff hanger here. Fortunately it did not leave me frustrated and raging as I do not like reading books with cliff hangers. I am excited to see what unfolds next in the lives of Zofi, Akeylah and Florencia - I just hope I don't have to wait too long.

An interesting idea and setting. The three girls had compelling back-stories which helped to distinguish them from each other. However, the morals were inappropriate, and how the tough story turned into a BFF club wasn’t for me.

I want to thank TheNovl for sending me this book, for an honest review.

This Young Adult Fantasy book is based around three sisters, who didn’t know each one existed. All three sister’s hold a dark secret they’re afraid to let anyone else know. And when they are called upon to meet the king, they believe that they’re caught and are awaiting execution or something up the latter. But, what they didn’t know is that they’re all the Kings daughters and have a chance to sit on his thrown. They find out that the king is dying, and his successor was murdered. Now it’s up to them to show which one is worthy of the thrown.

I want to start off by saying this book blew my mind. I did not expect how much I would it. I was hooked from the first 10 pages. The authors writing was so easy to read, in a good way. Everything was fast paced and not info dumpy like a lot of fantasy books. I just couldn’t stop myself from reading. I know I’m going to pick up the next book in the series as soon as it is released.

The characters were all really likable, and different from each other in so many ways. My favorite I believe was Zoey she didn’t take sh!t from anyone. She was the badass sister who can fight and can choose her own path without anyone guiding her.

I thought the magic system was awesome in this book. Blood magic is basically used by 80% of the world and only 20% aren’t able to use this magic. They can use this blood magic that’s called tithing to make yourself more agile. For example, speed, strength and invisibility which is pretty amazing! But just like in other magical realms there are parts of this magic system that shouldn’t be used.

I do want more of a world building. Getting to know what the wars have been like before what’s happening now in present time. We didn’t get a lot of that, or a lot of the history. But, I hope It’s all in the next book. This is my next highly anticipated book and I really recommend it if you’re into Three Dark Crowns.