Loved the POV, a true villain, and strong female lead. I missed being connected with the characters, but enjoyed the story arc.

Surprised to read other reviews castigating this book.

I found it interesting, easy to read and wanted to know the outcome to the storyline.

Yes it's the old theme of good versus evil but when a story is well written why should that matter.

*** Did not finish, review on the portion I did read. I make three attempts to read this book and finally had to stop, here are my reasons:
While this book had an interesting concept/ premise regarding a strong female lead fighting again a tyrant government lead by a terrible king with a dash of romance with the prince that caught my interest to read, the story failed in execution. I found myself not caring about the main characters, they were one dimensional and did not pull me in. The description that generated my original interest in the story did not come to fruition in a way that kept me wanting to read more. The female lead and the male lead had alternating chapters told in their perspectives but the information shared was more of a "tell me" style to try and build how terrible the King is and what an awful situation they are all in rather than helping us to become connected to the characters and world they are living and interacting in. The chapters from the female perspective jump in time as well from when she found the diary while still a student at the university to running from a bomb explosion, making it confusing to follow along. I did not enjoy the style or format this was written in, it was something I had to force myself to read instead of being pulled in and grabbed by the dialogue and description. I also found the language used by the characters to be offensive and the focus on the many lovers male and female was unnecessary. I was not able to finish this book, this may have more to do with my personal preferences than the author so give it a try if the things I mentioned as objectionable to me don’t bother you.

This was such a moving story. It was raw, gritty and uncomfortable but for all the reasons a book should be. It spoke candidly about justice and showed how flawed and broken people won't always be perfect but can work together to create change.

I loved how each of the characters felt so different from one another. Lisbeth Campbell did a fantastic job painting distinctions into each of her characters that gave them a unique voice and highlighted their strengths and weaknesses.

The writing was poetic and beautiful but not in a way that made the story feel bogged down or overly flowery. I was highlighting like crazy as I read because the thought provoking narrative had so much depth and I want to continue to mull it over.

If you love strong female leads, real and raw young men, deep rooted political intrigue, revolution and a hint of romance, this book is for you.

ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Vanished Queen was a huge struggle for me to read. The cover was a draw, and the synopsis sounded right up my alley. Unfortunately, the execution fell terribly flat for me.

My main issue was the characters, especially the main ones, Anza and Esvar. They were all very dull and boring without any distinguishing characteristics. I could not relate to or care about either of them, and that's a major reason why the rest of the story didn't work for me.

The story in general dragged on and on and on. It seemed as if a lot was going on, but then nothing actually happened. I even put it away for awhile and came back, hoping I'd be in a mindset where this book would appeal to me. No such luck.

Also, I'm sure this wasn't the case, but at times it felt like every other character in the book was one of Anza's past lovers. It was a bit much.

There is a significant amount of dark content and possible triggers for some people (rape, abortion, torture, abuse and the like). While these subjects were never really discussed in depth or especially descriptive, it may bother some.

I really hate to give such a low rating, but I struggled HARD with this one.

***I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley.***

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books Publishing for letting me read and review this book. It was an interesting fantasy story and I had hoped to like it more than I did, but it was a bit too dark for me.
At any rate, this has a good storyline and characters and I did like it some. This story is about a Queen who is said to have vanished or have been killed by a neighboring country, but everyone knows that it was because of the King that she disappears and is said to have died.
It's years later that a young woman, Anza, who's going to college and graduates and finds the journal of the vanished queen and learns some more about the queen and what happened to her. Anza also has a father who was in the evil King's service that was killed so she decides to join the resistance to overthrow the King and get vengeance for her father's death.
After Anza has joined the resistance and is working with them to overthrow the King so they can have the Prince Tevin take his place as a better, more just ruler and King, then the other Prince Esvar joins the resistance as well to help them overthrow his father and get his brother to take over as King. Prince Esvar is stuck and feels trapped with the evil King Karojle, his father in control, and wants him to pay for killing his mother, the vanished queen.
Also, Sparrow, who's in the resistance as a leader has her reasons for wanting King Karojle dead as well and she helps to train Anza and tells Anza about her father who was killed because Anza's father saved Sparrow at one point and Sparrow helps Anza as repayment for what Anza's father did for her.
There's a lot of political intrigue, lies, deceit, secrets, and duplicity all around. When it comes to the end, there is a bit of a bright spot and some hope amid the darkness of this story with what happens with everything and some truths being revealed and such, but this is a very dark story and it's not always easy to read this kind of book.
In this story, there is a lot of profanity and explicit language about romance and intimacy in some places that I didn't like and would have liked a content/trigger warning about that. Also, I think it could use some other content/trigger warnings about other heavy, dark, and hard topics that were talked about throughout this book like rape/marital rape, abuse/domestic abuse, murder/suicide-suicidal thoughts, forced abortion and things like that. If any of those things or types of things are not what you like to read about or can tolerate then I wouldn't recommend this story for you.
If you like these kinds of epic fantasy stories with the grimdark vibe and don't have as much of a problem with those kinds of things then you could enjoy this because it does have a good storyline despite the darkness and things that I had a hard time with when I read it so if you want to read it then, by all means, check it out, you could very well like and enjoy it more than I did.

First of all, I love the cover. It's absolutely stunning. Secondly, I'm so glad to see a strong female voice in adult fantasy, and I truly hope publishers buy many more books like this one. This genre is my jam and I love love loved the synopsis.

The issue with this book - and please note this is for SURE a personal preference - was the tone and voice. It just felt very dry to me. I wanted to feel what Anza felt, and same with Esvar. I had a hard time connecting with them due to the writing style (which don't get me wrong, there were some really lovely parts). I also found the pacing a bit slow, with so much emphasis on world building (normally I love it, but I think it could have been spread out or trimmed).

I am leaving off a rating though on Goodreads since I ended up not finishing this one (though I intend to come back to it).

I also felt like it was a bit typical of a fantasy plot line. I LOVE LOVE LOVE books about monarchies and ruling systems and how rulers use fear to control people, and I will snatch up ANY book with those subjects. But I think they need a fresh element to them that sets them a part. We do kinda have that here with the mystery surrounding the queen. I loved that - in fact, her chapters were my favorite. But for Anza and Esvar's stories in particular, it just felt like another regular rebellion trying to overthrow a king. I'm hoping the last half ended up being a bit more surprising , but I think some hints or something about exciting events to come might have helped. I also would have liked to see Karolje much sooner. He felt very distant in the story, yet everything that happened was because of him.

Anyway, I'll add to this review at some point hopefully, but for now, I need a brain break!

There were elements of this book that I really liked. The characters are well drawn, particularly the strong female characters. The story itself I have mixed feelings about. On the one hand the different factions including the resistance movement bring a strong political element that is missing in a lot of fantasy books where the emphasis is straight good and evil. On the other hand the book did not grip me so that I could not put it down. I found that I had questions about elements of the book, for instance the magical elements of Truthfinders where did these come from, how did they fit in. The college is an integral part of the book but we learn little about what goes on there. It appears to be a stand alone book but there could possibly be a sequel or more. It is a good read but, for me, not the best.

Long ago, Queen Mirantha vanished. King Karolje claimed it was an assassination by a neighboring king, but everyone knew it was a lie. He had Disappeared her himself.

But after finding the missing queen’s diary, Anza—impassioned by her father’s unjust execution and inspired by Mirantha’s words—joins the resistance group to overthrow the king. When an encounter with Prince Esvar thrusts her into a dangerous game of court politics, one misstep could lead to a fate worse than death.

Esvar is the second son to an evil king. Trapped under his thumb and desperate for a way out, a chance meeting with Anza gives him the opportunity to join the resistance. Together, they might have the leverage to move against the king—but if they fail, their deaths could mean a total loss of freedom for generations to follow.- Goodreads

I love me some epic fantasies; especially ones that play up the everything isn't what it seems. And for the most part this was a decent read.

World building is huge in fantasies and this book focused on world building but it was a hit and miss. There were certain parts of the setting that the author focused on too much and other parts she didn't focus on enough. For instance, Anza isn't from the city but when describing the farm she lived on, she just dismisses it as a farm. This bothered me because this book is about world building. Although Anza did not like the lack of life from her old life, it was dismissed too easily. I want to be able to see all worlds and ways of life not just one. 

Speaking of Anza, the book is told in three point of views. Anza, Esvar and the vanished queen (through a journal). I liked really the pov of the queen. It was written extremely well. There was emotion and personality. Anza and Esvar did not have personality. Anza was an interesting character but I can't tell you if there was anything other than her being well trained and smart.  Esvar was a torn prince trying to do the right thing. 

I liked the pace of the novel and overall, I really enjoyed the writing. I just wanted more finesse.  If there is a book two, I do plan on reading it. 

2 Pickles

The Vanished Queen was fine - and I don't mean that in a bad way! It's a solid, competent standalone fantasy debut that has some timely plot elements (fascist evil ruler, anyone?). It didn't blow me away, and it's not something I'm going to come back to reread or recommend effusively, but it wasn't a bad read by any means. I appreciate that it dealt with heavy topics without ever glorifying the violence/abuse or seeming gratuitous, and it's always nice to see a strong female protagonist in fantasy outside of YA. The biggest thing that fell flat for me was the romance plot, which didn't feel like it had enough buildup or passion behind it.

I'll definitely keep an eye out to see what this author does in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

This was a great book. I really enjoyed it. And everything was well wrapped up at the end and didn't fall flat.

The evil people were believably evil, and the good guys are gray area and actually discuss and struggle with how far is too far.
Some of the minor characters were a little lacking. They left me wondering why in the world would Anza be friends with them.
I found the views of relationship fluidity of the world to be very refreshing. Marriage wasn't pushed on everyone. No one seemed to care who you were previously with. Being bi seemed to be the norm. Though I don't remember much mention of males being as fluid.

It could have done with out the "magic" of Truthfinders and Hellhounds. They were the only magical things, weren't really explained, and could just be swapped out with really good interrogators and vicious dogs. There also needs to be a pronunciation guide at the beginning. How is King Karolje pronounced?!?!? And a map would be helpful.

Thank you to the publishers for providing an ARC through NetGalley.

I was sold on the summary about a resistance trying to overthrow an evil king and how the two characters where going to connect. The two main characters where interesting from start but they grew on me as they developed throughout the story. I felt a Kings Landing/Lannister vibe from the settings which I can appreciate as a GOT fan. Also the writing style was very suspenseful which got me hooked and never once got boring. Can’t wait for the physical copy to come out!!

Finally, a villain to hate! A mercurial, sociopathic King that holds all the power and the fear. Along with his unsympathetic, vicious rule there is a growing resistance among the people with the sole mission of overthrowing this said King by whatever means necessary.
An added layer of disenchanted heirs to his throne and his disappeared Queen, you find the makings of courageous political drama full of adventure and a sprinkling of fantasy.
Written with many points of views that encourage a meaty, enjoyable plot twist. The dialogue is also full and very well-written. Hierarchy of power in this very political world is well established and well explained.
When all is said and done, the main goal to take on a Tyrant King pulled the story line fast and it did not disappoint. Romance, conspiracy, escapades, murder and secrets. I was completely enthralled.

What a fantastic surprise this novel turned out to be! Strong female characters, complex development, courtly intrigue and a villain that went from cardboard cut out "nasty king" to a truly despicable character through and through.

I had low expectations from the start, and was so pleased to have my pre-suppositions be found wholly and utterly false. I look forward to following the life of this novel, and reading further works from Lisbeth Campbell, who truly managed to wrangle a plot and politics that in left competent hands would have left the reader wanting.

I enjoyed reading this one! It has a few issues, but overall I enjoyed it and it helped me escape from being stuck in my house during the COVID-19 shut down. It is written in a way that made me want to keep reading to find out what would happen next. I would have preferred a little more nuance with the characters, I always have a hard time when the "evil" characters have no redeeming characteristics at all. .

**I received this book for free in exchange for a review**

I really enjoyed this book. Solid fantasy book, with more of a historical fiction feel (ie, no magic). I enjoyed the characters and the story enough that I would read a sequel, should one be written.

There is a bit of a plot twist, which I did figure out, but still enjoyed the book overall.

The cover is beautiful. The synopsis is intriguing. Everything else is boring. The charActerization is non existent. There were really only 6 characters and they all were flat as pancakes. Sure we learn a lot about a few of them, but they had no personality. There was kinda sorta a magic system (truth finders and hellhounds) that was there for some unknown reason with out an explanation of origin. The characters act for the realm and to prevent war with another country but the entirety of the very long novel occurred in one city. Boring. The fight scenes were described so literally and lacked any excitement which was disappointing since the whole of this story was about an uprising.

I was sold on this book from the summary. I love me a story about a crumbling kingdom led by an evil and corrupt king, and the battle to depose him.

I loved Anza as a character from the very beginning, I always appreciate authors that write strong, independent women that know their worth and fight for what's right. Anza was all of that and much more. She finds herself in very delicate situations (partly her own fault), but she never gives up.

Who I wasn't completely sure of was Esvar. In the beginning, his character felt a little underdeveloped and this feeling followed me for most of the book, even though you grow to love and appreciate his journey.

What really made me give this book 5 stars was the writing. I have been devouring it from the very first pages, unable to take a break. The words flew at a very good pace even in the few more boring parts and I felt my heartbeat fasten so many times I lost count.

About mid-way through. I started to worry the book would end on a cliffhanger and build into a series. I was oh so glad when I realised it wouldn't do that. I'm not sure why, but I deeply wanted the story to neatly wrap up and it did. There is space for a sequel if the author decides for it, but most readers would be satisfied with this being a standalone.

A small trigger warning: the story is set in a corrupted kingdom and around the resistance fight. It therefore touches on darker themes such as rape and abortion (maybe look for a trigger warning list). Please be aware of this before going into this book.

I thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
#TheVanishedQueen #NetGalley

The Vanished Queen follows various characters in the waning rule of an evil king. Anza joins the resistance after her father has been executed, Esvar is the second son of the king, fighting to get his brother on the throne and overcome the similarities he sees between himself and his father.

This book is beautifully written, I was engrossed almost immediately. I felt it excelled at introducing me to these characters and the world. All the characters have very visible flaws that they struggle with, and this is portrayed really well. Where this story excells is absolutely the characters, and especially the women. This story felt like a love letter to womens resilience in a world that treats them as objects and pawns. Anza and her discovery of the disappeared queens journal show us two different female struggles and I thought it was very well done.

All the characters developed well throughout the book, and by the end I felt as though I really understood their motivations and feelings. In a nice bit of representation, Anza appears to be bisexual and speaks of her previous lovers, male and female at various points throughout the book.

I felt the story flowed quite well, with the exception of some dragging at around 25-30%. It is definitely more of a slow burn story, there's a lot of set up and political intrigue before there is any kind of big climax. To me this all led to a satisfying conclusion but I can see it being frustrating to other readers. Overall, this book was an a real gem for me, and it'll stick with me for a long time.

This book is certainly dark and I would mark it with trigger warnings for: sexual assault, forced abortion, domestic abuse and suicidal thoughts.

The Vanished Queen follows several characters while an upcoming war threatens their safety and loved ones. Anza, a college graduate joins the resistance to honor her deceased father and to protect the ones she cares about. However, it seems her father has been grooming her for this fight without her knowing, tying her fate to several other characters. Prince Esvar is stuck under the thumb of his evil father and king, Karolje. He must do everything he can to live to see his brother take the thrown, even if it means joining the resistance.

First off, I want to say this book is very well thought out. The political aspects are very intricate; the history, the conflicts, everything is there. The reason I only gave it three stars is that this book is very plot driven, which leaves the characters a little bland. The story is also very drawn out. It was slow to build momentum and when the climax of the story finally came, it was underwhelming.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.