At it's heart, this story is about how our upbringing shapes us into something uniquely gifted.

I would compare this to the start of the Throne of Glass series, but geared towards a younger audience. It has all the classic tropes of Young Adult (which, don't get me wrong, we all enjoy immensely), but is written more like a middle grade. In theory, this book sounds great. I read my own description and I second guess my thoughts on the book.

Throughout the first half of the book, I had a really hard time connecting with Zora. I found that the way Zora was written and the book was written, it came across as very stream of consciousness. But, if a teenager's stream of consciousness was held to a very limited range of descriptors. The exposition is very cut and dry, very this-happened-and-Zora-felt-this-so-she-did-this. Which is fine, because that is generally the way that humans react to things, but it doesn't really make for engaging literature. I would go as far to say that there is no nuance in this story at the beginning. Everything is exactly how it is. It takes about half the book before there is some enrichment to the story and readers are

In the second half of the book, though, it becomes a lot more obvious that Leitao has a vision for the characters and gives them some depth. The relationships between them are no longer so superficial, instead explored and given layers of meaning. The plot has some interesting intricacies and goes in directions that keep the readers turning pages. Zora and some background characters really started to grow on me. I don't think I was ever able to completely set aside the way the first half of the book made me feel (disappointed and lightly annoyed), but it really turned around my opinion of the book from negative to cautiously positive.

I think there's a lot of potential in this world that Leitao is building. Perhaps this is one of those YA series that takes a book or two to hit it's stride. Even from the start of this book to the end of it, the world building improves, the characters become more robust, there's just more *umph* behind the story Leitao is telling. I'm excited to see where this series goes and will keep my eye out for the second installment.

When Zora discovers her boyfriend is a jerk, she doesn’t stop to think. As a girl of action, she steals his invitation to the elite Royal Games and travels to the castle to partake in the competition herself. She does well in the Games themselves, but being from the Dark Valley, a walled in village where everyone knows each other, Zora doesn’t do nearly as well with the court intrigue that she falls into by competing against one prince and conspiring with another. From a girlfriend to a competitor, Zora is in over her head.

In the beginning of The Cup and the Prince, Zora finds out her boyfriend Seth has been cheating on her and immediately rethinks everything he’s been saying about how she needs to “make him remember her” on this last night before he leaves. She is immediately set up as a strong feminist character by leaving Seth, but instead of thinking, Zora takes off with his chance to get out of Dark Valley, something she immediately knows is the wrong choice. But she keeps going, without completely get over what Seth did. Throughout the book Zora both questions her beauty and challenges the other characters’ ideas of a woman’s worth. With all this, Day Leitao makes Zora both relatable and real in a way that a lot of characters aren’t.

While Zora is a fantastic character, the plot has a couple of issues. For one, the pacing could use some work. It doesn’t feel like the Games lasted very long or like Zora did much besides completing the challenges and attending the balls afterwards. In a way, it was very straight forward, but it seemed like Zora was going back home very soon after she left.

Also, the ending was a bit abrupt. The king decided to kill his brother Griffin, Alegra switched sides, and Zora whisked Griffin away all in the last couple of chapters. Only the last might have been predicted, and it all felt like it happened too fast.

All in all, The Prince and the Cup, was a good read and I’ll look forward to the sequel. I just hope King Larzen’s and Alegra’s motives are better explored.

We have all read stories where the main character sets out on this huge quest. This was the first that I've read where it happened based on petty revenge. Zora is a good lead that has strong potential to become more. While I enjoyed reading the book, The Cup and the Prince is very stilted at times. The overall storyline is good but leaves the reader rather confused. There are quite a few grammar and context mistakes that only add to the readers' confusion. After the slowness of most of the book, the ending is very rushed and confusing, creating a lot of new questions that were never even hinted at during the rest of the book.

“Be careful, be careful. It was all people told her. As if the responsibility for not getting murdered were hers.”

The Cup and the Prince was a snarky, funky, fantasy action adventure series, a genre that becomes increasingly rare as you grow older. I enjoyed the Royal Games and the whole thing gave me major Goblet of Fire vibes in a good way. The challenges were interesting enough, but there were enough layers to the plot to keep you intrigued throughout the story.
“This was it. She was in the Royal Games. Risking death, but she was there. In theory, it sounded quite dangerous and reckless, except that she’s risked death every single day of her life.”
The whole concept of the Dark Valley was also really fresh. In the Dark Valley, any patch of darkness will give birth to shadow creatures. This includes the space under a dropped piece of clothing, the space inside hollow instruments like flutes, the shadows under literally any piece of furniture, etc. This means that Zora has a literal fear of the dark, but it’s fully explainable and necessary for survival where she grew up. However, when she reaches the castle, this instinct is out of place and unneeded. This was a very exciting concept and I’m genuinely interested in exploring it more as the series progresses!
Zora is an interesting protagonist who is easy to root for despite her imperfections. She makes mistakes, but she’s genuine and real. The other characters come off a bit aloof, mainly because Zora just doesn’t bother to get to know anyone. On the other hand, there’s enough characters to keep your interest while still maintaining an air of mystery. Did I mention that there’s teenage royalty in this book? Unfortunately, none of the three princes are actually … cool? All of them are total messes, so it wasn’t really exciting. Still, you don’t get to see much of their actual characters in this book, so they’re each presented as shallow caricatures. Hopefully, that will change in the next book!
Honestly, the biggest drawback was the clunky writing. The narration felt odd at times, and some things were described in excruciating detail while some important moments felt rushed. It was hard to fully immerse yourself in the story because the awkward writing resembled the disembodied voice overs present in some movies. It just immediately pulls you out of the world.
Still, the book was entertaining, even with an unsatisfactory ending. The Cup and the Prince provides a fun, lighthearted YA adventure story with an interesting plot.

This book was one that I was able to easily devour in only a few hours. I love how the story seemed to keep changing pace almost, which kept me engaged for longer periods. The ending approached so quickly that I found it hard to believe the book had ended, and the cliffhanger still has me thinking over all the information presented. Zora is a very headstrong and resilient woman and her thought processes and moral dilemmas made her easy to relate to. Her witty and spiteful tendencies help to paint her as a real person. The three princes are all intriguing in their own ways, and I found myself quickly changing my opinions on them all as the story progressed. The side characters were all engaging and entertaining and I enjoyed that they didn't seem to distract from the main story but rather added to it.

The world building, though there are a few minor plot holes, is phenomenal. Zora's use of magic and knowledge is fascinating, and I loved that for every piece of information you learn that there is still so much more digging to do. The author did a great job at tying together fantasy with action and adventure as well as a little mystery. The writing style was very unique to me, and I loved how much it added to the feel of the whole book.

I was drawn to this book partially because of the cover, and partially because I saw it was set to be released on my birthday of this year. Thank you to Netgalley and Day Leitao for providing me with an e-arc of The Cup and the Prince in exchange for an honest review. I look forward to reading The Curse and the Prince in 2021!

This is an enjoyable, easy read, if not typical YA - that’s to start it’s nothing new but it does the job well.
The story follows Zora, from Dark Valley where monsters come out of the shadows, she takes the place of her ‘boyfriend’ Seth and goes to the capital to represent the valley in the Blood Cup championship. What follows is trials, secrets, magic, romance and deceit as Zora not only has to maintain the ruse that she is her valley’s champion and win, but keep her head in the process.
Like I said, this is an easy and rather quick read, it’s not basically written but it won’t tax you which, can be pretty nice, Zora is feisty, stubborn but sensitive, she is trained in fighting monsters but hurts very easily. King Kiran rules the land, meanwhile Prince Larzen plots an arrangement with Zora and younger prince Griffin, mysterious and confusing, competes alongside Zora for the cup. Zora is largely likeable, as a sucker for a feisty female protagonist, although it’s not always consistently so, she can be selfish and childish and hurt others to get what she wants, or for petty revenge, at times to a ridiculous Degree that makes her hard to relate to; such as having little issue with someone she knows being imprisoned in a dungeon for know good her secret. Also, I like that she has a heart and is emotional, you don’t want a 2D hero, but tears fall perhaps too much. After Seth, her boyfriend of 5 months, betrays her at the start of the book, Zora spends the whole point vowing to never love and the pain that comes with love and all things that again, felt a bit odd for a 5 month relationship you can only appreciate if you read the prequel novela.
The trials themselves, sometimes feel a little triwizard/hunger games/ red queen, and part of the ending is a turn of events I’ve read before in several YA series.
I think out of curiosity I would read the 2nd book, to see where it goes, and certain characters, like Alegra and Mauro interested me and I’d like to know more about them. As book journeys go, it’s an Easy, safe but enjoyable ride.

I am completely astounded. Swept off my feet. The Cup and The Prince has clearly surpassed my initial expectations. Day Leitao has definitely created a new world and a dashing masterpiece that’s been so easy to read.

The Cup and the Prince is the first book of a series that follows the story of a 17 year old girl named Zora who enters a competition by “cheating”; she’s hell-bent on taking revenge against her ex-boyfriend, a liar and a so-full of himself prick that has been chosen by their village to compete in the Royal Games for the almighty Blood Cup. Zora, taking his place as a competitor sets off on a journey in which she’ll have to show all the people in the kingdom that she’s not to be underestimated. Having fought monsters ever since she was just a child, no one expects a little young lady to fight alongside men whose sights are set on winning the competition. But she isn’t what she seems and she’s ready to fight for her people and bring the glory of winning the Royal Games back to her home, the Dark Valley.

Now, enter the two young princes: one wants her out while the other wishes to help her win the Games. From the challenges that the younger prince designs against her and the games she’s been asked to play for the older prince, Zora has to manage training, winning the Blood Cup, all the lies and problems in the palace as well as making sure no one discovers the truth about the real competitor chosen to represent the Dark Valley.

Oh, did I forget to mention Zora’s life is being threatened because someone’s trying to kill her? Suspense eh? So, apart from having to worry about two princes, she also has to worry about her life and safety.

This book has been so easy and fast to read I didn’t even notice I was right at the end till I ran out of chapters. The writing style is easy to follow and to understand as well, which has made this experience way better. I’ve been truly surprised and pleased to find out that Day Leitao has definitely surpassed the expectations I had set for this book.

Now let’s dive into my thoughts.

** Warning: from now on, this review will contain spoilers. If you haven’t read it yet, I urge you to stop reading this and therefore you’ll be safe from spoilers.

What I did like:

The most pleasing thing in the whole book is how no one expected a region to choose a woman to represent them in the Games. Zora is an experienced girl with great fighting skills, because let’s remember she’s been fighting ever since she was little (like everyone in the Dark Valley) and who’s hell-bent on stealing Seth’s chance to stand out and get the glory he wishes to have by competing in his place. I love how she doesn’t let prince Griffin scare her away and how willing she is to do her best and win the games. However, the thing I loved the most about her is how she cares so much for the children she’s been training, and how she’s perseverant, and doesn’t give up no matter how difficult things get.

Griffin: I like it that he goes from completely hating Zora to caring so much about her safety, even though sometimes it was quite overwhelming. I truly like him a lot and I cannot wait to read more about his story and past. He’s the youngest brother of three and though it may seem as if he’s cruel and maybe heartless, he’s got a big heart hidden beneath all that seriousness and rage. Plus, the curse added a bit more mystery to his persona.

Larzen: we didn’t get to know him a lot but I do can say I’ve been smitten. He’s truly a charming prince and I just wish we can dive into his story in the following book. The fact that he proposed a deal to Zora in which he promised to do anything to help her win the Games in exchange for her participation as his pawn in his game didn’t really sit well with me. But despite that, I like him a whole lot. We truly need the whole backstory and I’m really curious about who’s the lucky woman or man to have stolen his heart.

Loretta and Mauro: together with Zora they truly are the best. Their friendship is still very strange but I’m glad the three of them have found some kind of friend in each other because life there must’ve been really strange and lonely. I love Mauro a lot. Him helping Zora and Griffin escape and considering Zora his friend is just heart-melting. And Loretta? Well, she’s me. I’d die to dance with a prince and be jealous of my friend but also incredibly happy. Loretta is truly a fresh breeze of air and I really really want her back in the next book. What I need is Mauro, Loretta and Zora reuniting some day after the whole ordeal is over and visit each other’s homes.

The plot: IT WAS MIND-BLOWING. Excuse me but it kept me guessing throughout the whole book and just when I had my theories carefully planned and studied, BOOM. Plot Twist. Day Leitao left me at a loss for words when she brutally turned what might have been a predictable ending of a story into a mess of “What the heck happened here?” Truth to be told, I was nearing the remaining 10% of the book and I kept wondering what could happen. And I definitely didn’t expect that.

The writing style: magnifique. Exquisite. Truly easy to read and understand and full of new vocabulary I had to write down on a paper to find the meaning and maybe use it in the future.

What I didn’t like:

I hated and still hate with all my body Alegra, who turned out to be not Alegra but another person impersonating Alegra and getting revenge on the Royal Family. I knew something was off about her since she was first introduced in the book, even though I initially didn’t like her for playing with Griffin’s heart and Kiran’s too. However, her false sympathy and friendliness could be sniffed out from miles away and I was left wondering when would Zora realise Alegra wasn’t who she seemed to be. However, I was left surprised at the end.

Kiran: I have no words to describe how weird and confused I got whenever he appeared. Kinda ended up hating him a little when he kept making innuendos to Zora and then definitely, completely and irrevocably hated him in the last scene.

I also hated Seth and I hope in the following book he realises his loss (regarding Zora) because he doesn’t deserve anything good in life.

The length: IT WAS TOO SHORT for my liking which is not a bad thing now but I didn’t expect to finish it in less than 4 hours in one night. I really thought I’d have to take a break to sleep but… I truly didn’t think I’d get so hooked I’d be ready to punch a wall when it finished.

And maybe the lack of more representation? I’m not sure I saw any and I want more. Maybe I missed the signs that there are already some but one can never get enough. If there is, well,,,,,,, I’d love to see more.

All in all, the book has clearly set high expectations for the following one. I’ve been left with a cliffhanger and I’m now impatient to get my hands on the next book. I love it. The magic, the romance, the “enemies” to lovers trope which may not have been very noticeable but still it was for me,,,, everything was amazing and incredible which is why I give this book a solid 4 star rating. And if there’s no love interest, that’s actually good for me because a woman doesn’t need a man to live happily. I cannot wait to read more about Zora and Griffin and Larzen and get to know Loretta more!

This story had potential but fell a bit flat for me. Though the content is upper YA (starting out with the MC deciding if she wants to give up her virginity, and some violence) it’s written or told almost like a middle grade. The magic system was not properly explained, and there were some unbelievable things going on, such as both the royal parents dying but never explained (did they die at the same time, were they murdered?), as well as teenage girls traveling to the city to potentially find a mate, but they don’t need a chaperone or any adults? It did not hook me enough to want to read the next book :(

Will post on Goodreads

I DEVOURED this book! I zoomed through it in two days, and I'm not usually a fast reader. Zora was a sweet and fun protagonist - I liked that she wasn't perfect, wasn't amazingly strong and skilled, but mostly got through things on determination and sheer bloody mindedness. I liked that a lot of her decisions tended towards being a moral grey area - it makes for a far more real feeling and interesting character than one who's a perfect saint. The royal brothers were intriguing, with plenty of curious behaviour and mystery to keep you guessing about them.

The challenge itself, which is ostensibly pretty central to the story, in fact feels kind of secondary. The challenges are mostly pretty boring, unexciting things, so if you're expecting battles and a big exciting gladiator type situation, you won't find it. But I didn't really mind, as it turns out the challenge itself was really only the setting for the rest of the interpersonal intrigue that kept me pretty hooked.

The writing style was at times somewhat stilted, especially the dialogue, in such a way that made me suspect the author's first language may not be English. There were also a few word/editing errors. I feel like a little more editing for linguistic flow would have really helped to elevate this book. People kept calling each other "dear". I don't know anyone under the age of 90 that calls people "dear".

Even though I found these things a little distracting at times, I still felt very drawn into the story and the characters. The ending is something I predicted but still a nice little cliffhanger that definitely made me want to pick up the next book - which unfortunately won't be out til 2021.

If you can be forgiving of some stylistic quirks, I think this book is definitely worth a shot. I enjoyed reading it.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Zora had been a pretty decent person her whole life. Until her (ex) boyfriend turned out to be a scumbag and thought she was incapable of a lot of things, all because she was a girl. What else could she do by taking her revenge, knocking him out of the competition, and taking his place in the Games for herself? Despising love and being looked down on, Zora decides she’s going to win the Games to save her people and prove that she can. With a prince trying to knock her out of the competition, another prince forcing her to play weird games, and someone trying hard to murder her, Zora has a lot to worry about whether she’s in the arena or not.

Zora is such an awesome main character! I loved how she didn’t let people walk all over her, even the royalty! Her desire for revenge (mostly to spite all the men looking down on her) was quite amusing and her sarcastic nature was so entertaining! I didn’t care for how she seemed to cry somewhat frequently for someone who claims to be strong, though. However, her clever tactics and determination to win were definitely brilliant!

The world-building, particularly the idea of the Dark Valley, was so fascinating! The idea of the Royal Games was cool as well, though there’s still a lot about it we don’t know. I have a lot of questions about it, but I guess more will be revealed in the next book! The political games that were being played were also interesting; there’s some plot twist stuff towards the end that made me rather curious! The romance fell a little flat for me, and I didn’t really care for most of the side characters, but it’s always possible things will change in the next book.

Ultimately, I’d recommend this book to anyone who likes to see a female fighter as a main character and who appreciates unique world-building, political games, and competitions!

First off, I was really entreated to get this book because of its beautiful cover and as well as its promising premise which revolves around the strong female character and the complexities of royalty life. And you know the drill, having royalties in a YA Fantasy is such a *chef kiss.

Anyway, the plot is very clear, nothing that can confuse you because the whole ride is very interesting for readers to follow up. Unputdownable I would say. You can actually read this book in one sitting due to its easy and comprehensive narration. This book is written from an omniscient point of view and I think it's better in that way since it's a high fantasy.

YUP, there's some magic included here and for once I'm relieved that this book doesn't turn out to be like a typical one where the main character who comes from the slums suddenly breaks down the barrier between the poor and the rich by having an unbeatable power (You know what I'm saying). Instead, what I found profound and unique in this story is that the main character itself holds a very indomitable spirit as she doesn't really possess any special qualities. Her skills are only built up from her usual routines which are killing the shadow creatures and teaching other children how to survive and kill them. Not only that, but I also like her bravery in confronting a head-on with anyone who looks down upon the women's status. I SMELL WOMEN EMPOWERMENT HERE. So it's definitely a yes book for me.

If you're looking for a strong feminist who suddenly finds herself entangled in the game of royalties (3 princes at that) then this book is for you. I honestly live for the funny banters between the female character and the youngest prince. Both of them have the same wrath harbored towards each other and the fact that they are competitors in a quest for attaining the glory of the Blood Cup is really entertaining and interesting.

One star is missing because of that abrupt ending and the unexpected blow. The twist in the end really propelled you to get anticipated for the upcoming second book, The Curse and The Prince, which will be released in 2021. I can't wait to start reading it. Thank you to Netgalley and Day Leitao for providing me an e-arc of this in exchange for an honest review.

I sat down and absolutely plowed through this book. It was INCREDIBLE. The characters, the world and the very well done plot drew me almost immediately. I'm so glad I got the chance to read this and I cannot wait until I get my hands on a physical copy!

Readers of the KInder Poison and Shadow and Bone will thoroughly enjoy this book. It is a well balanced blend of magic, court intrigues, action, and romance.

17 year old Zora enters the Royal Games in her ex’s place as a way to show him that she is capable of achieving glory. However upon arriving she finds herself in the middle of three brothers each with their own agenda.

Going into the story I thought there would be a little more romance than was show cased however I believe future books in this series will most likely have those elements. All in all i found this was a great quick read that checked off all my favorite things, royalty, fantasy, romance and action.

If I were to critique one thing i would’ve liked to have seen more of Zora’s physical strength.

Overall I would say that if you need a book to get you out of a slump this book is for you.

Okay wow. This book caught my eye but I didn’t think I would be so immersed in the story that I would finish the book in ~4 hours (over the course of 2 nights). The world building, the romance, the mystery, the magic, the badass feminist main character. I cannot wait to read the rest of this series. I could not put this book down!