This book was just as amazing as the first! My god, what a delightful read. I loved Amarandae all over again, and I loved learning more about Luca and his past! What a stunning conclusion to this duology.

A great sequel to an overall fun and exciting series for far! The plot was fast paced and very adventure based. I can't wait wait for the third book to be released!

Loved it! Well paced, the characters were well written and relatable and I love the cover art! I can't wait for book 3!

So happy to have read book 2 early, and to myself without the hussle of everyone asking if I've read it yet!

I can't say if I enjoyed it more than the first - but if I was forced to answer, I'd say they were different in ways that leads me to love them both in their own fashion!

I'll be continuing into book 3 (fingers crossed) and am even more excited to see the growth.

I saw a few comments regarding the romance arc, but I'm just happy to have one in general, and I think it was well written. The book overall had both fast and slowed down paces that made it enjoyable and realistic to events in real life.

The only 'con' I have is when any author, not here specifically, does A LOT of pov switches, back and forth flashes etc - it can get hard to follow or interrupt the flow of reading and it's not my favorite style, I understand it, but I don't always love it.

Thank you for this eArc and congrats on book 2!

Okay so I loved the first one, and I loved this one just as much! Maybe even more! I love this series! I can't wait until book 3! And apparently there is going to be a book 3! I just love so much about this book! I liked that the plot wasn't all over the place, and that while you traveled to different areas and followed different characters, it still moved the plot along and you didn't feel like nothing made sense. I liked also that the plot didn't feel too crowded, or too big if that makes sense. It wasn't like she was trying to fit SO MUCH into one book. Especially since so much was in actuality was going on. The pacing was nice and fast, but didn't feel rushed, and everything was given their fair due. I also felt that there really wasn't any slow points in this book. Overall I highly recommend this series! I love this series so much, and its for sure an all time favorite of mine! The writing was fantastic, the plot was great, the characters were super well developed, and I just loved the world building! Highly recommend again that you check this series out!

The Queen Will Betray You follows The Princess Will Save You, a The Princess Bride inspired series with 5 kingdoms, all thrown off balance when one king is found murdered. The events of this book follow up pretty directly after the first one, with increased POV's and more characters added.

I enjoyed the plot of this book more than the first book. It was more gripping and more seemed to be happening. With more characters, more pieces of the puzzle came together and you learned more about the motivations behind characters. There are flashback scenes which help shape the current climate and help the reader understand how we got to this point.

However, I found this series just isn't for me. I don't love the romance arc, I actually wanted the MC to end up with someone else which didn't happen. By the end, I felt the author was trying to incorporate too many plot twists in a short number of pages and it didn't quite work for me. I likely will not be continuing the series, as I don't find the characters or plot to be compelling enough at this point. This likely could've stayed a duology, in my opinion.

However, that's not to say this book wouldn't be amazing to others. It just isn't for me.

**Thank you to Tor Teen and Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review**

I’m finding it really hard to keep my last few reviews on the shorter side! I love the stories so much and I feel like if I don’t do a little bit of a recap, it takes away from my review.

In The Kingdoms of Sand & Sky series, sooooooo much happens. There are some books that are long but we don’t get a lot of content, that’s not the case here. There are so many moving parts, so many characters and their evolutions, so many secrets and betrayals, and flashbacks.

In the last book, we got two huge HUGE huge reveals at the end which left me reeling, needing to know what was going to happen.

One of the things that is revealed, is that King Sendoa DID believe in his daughter and had set things in place for her to rule without having to marry. That was one of the biggest blows that Amarande had after his death. She couldn’t believe that he did nothing to make sure that she could rule. This also had me pissed, if he really was that great of a king and trained his daughter to be independent WHY wouldn’t he do something to help that change come about?

Luca and Amarande fight tooth and nail to claim what is rightfully theirs and for their love. Along the way, morally grey characters turned into trusted allies, we get to know how an evil boy came to be the monster he is, that same boy starts to shed some of that evilness, someone who appeared to be an enemy turned out not to be, and the runaway Queen will forever be marked as a traitor.

We follow the same timeline but split locations. We also get some flashbacks that clear up some of the secrets that were revealed. The way that Luca and Amarande believe in each other and how they’re able to use what the king taught them is what leads to them getting the win they needed.

A lot of answers were given in book 2. More than I thought were needed but they make sense now. I liked that the ending, things slowed down a bit to really get into those events. The whole book didn’t feel rushed but with so much going on, it was a bit of a ping pong, back and forth. I liked that we didn’t get a huge reveal to end book 2 too. I can’t handle another cliffhanger! But the stage is definitely set for book 3 and it feels like crap is about to hit the fan…

This book was good but i did find myself zoning out every so often. My favourite thing about this book is how we see so many POV's including the "villains" I put villains in quotations because the villain changes throughout the book. I almost feel this book could have been a bit better in 1st pov instead of third but its is still enjoyable.

I absolutely love Amarande and Luca and overall their relationship, also what's said at the ending made my heart so happy.

I experienced whiplash because of how fast things were changing and how fast things were going, which i thoroughly enjoyed.

even though i enjoy this i cannot give it more than 3 stars because of me zoning out and overall i did feel like their was almost too much going on in this book.

I will be reading book 3 when it comes out because I am excited to see how the story continues.

3.5 STARS
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I really enjoyed this sequel to The Princess Will Save You, though not quite as much as the first. The Queen Will Betray You gives you tons of action from the very first page to the very last. There are so many twists and turns, it is impossible to trust anyone. This one has multiple POV, but they were easy to keep straight. The first book was styled after The Princess Bride, but this one didn't have that feeling as much to me. I found that it was an easy read like the first, but even with the amount of action that happened in this one, I felt that it was a lot of filler to get to the third book.

I definitely recommend this series though, and I am highly looking forward to the third book next year! Many thanks to Tor Teen and NetGalley for the early copy!

I have to say I loved this newest installment in this series and I really hope it continues but as it's a duology that's not going to happen.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book. It wasn’t my favorite of all time but it was a great continuation of The Princess Will Save You. I actually enjoyed the first one more. Things picked up right where the first left off. One of my favorite thing about the story is Ama and Luca’s love. I wish we as readers had been able to see it more. I felt like they kept making choices because they love each other so much but then they spend so little time actually together. The shorter chapters really help keep this fast paced read more exciting. The twists and turns add so much to the plot but don’t make it confusing. I also really enjoyed the side characters and can’t wait to see what happens in the next installment. Overall it was a good book and would recommend it to fans of The Princess Bride.

Much bloodier than its predecessor and with a higher body count, The Queen Will Betray You isn’t afraid to attach real stakes to its storytelling, even with an ending whose basic outline most of us can guest. With some genuine surprises and a cast of great characters, this is a fantasy ride you’ll still likely enjoy more than most.

The Queen Will Betray You is the sequel to The Princess Will Save You. My review contains context that will be a spoiler for the first book in the series. Please do not read further if you have not read The Princess Will Save You!

Picking up where The Princess Will Save You left off, The Queen Will Betray You finds Princess Amarande and her stableboy, best friend, and lover, Luca, on the run. Their goal is to return to the Torrent, find the rebellion, and have Luca take his rightful place as the leader of the Kingdom of Torrence. After killing Prince Renard during their wedding, Amarande finds herself the target of Queen Ines and the country of Basilica. As the rulers in the kingdom make moves to consolidate power, Amarande and Luca are unsure who they can trust or what to believe as the fate of the entire kingdom is at stake.

The Queen Will Betray You has heart-pounding action from beginning to end. There are so many twists and turns, it is impossible to trust anyone. It alternates between a few different perspectives: Amarande, Luca, the palace of Ardenia, and Queen Ines of Pyrenee. This book is very reminiscent of Game of Thrones. It is styled after The Princess Bride, but I don’t see that as much with the sequel. Meanwhile, there are so many nods to Game of Thrones, from the warring kingdoms vying for rule over the entire continents to each country to the ruling families being represented by animals.

When I started this book I thought it was the end of the series. I was so sad to say goodbye to characters I've come to care about so much! But, the story didn't completely wrap up. There were quite a few plot lines that needed answers. Upon some additional research, I discovered that there will in fact be a third book in the series called The King Will Kill You! Unfortunately, that is unlikely to be released until at least 2022. Until then I will be impatiently waiting for the final book!

Thank you Tor Teen and Netgalley for the review copy! All opinions are my own.

I desperately wanted to love this sequel, but it just wasn't for me. The series was described as a The Princess Bride retelling, but I didn't find anything funny throughout either book. I was hoping it would be similar to Sarah Henning's other series (Sea Witch), where the second book reminded me more of the intended retelling. Honestly, I'm not sure how the marketing tactic was approved, because there were almost no similarities to The Princess Bride at all.

If you're looking for a YA book with a strong female protagonist and supportive love interest, this is definitely it. However, I would not recommend this to anyone based on their interest in The Princess Bride; it just sets the wrong expectations.

3.5/5 stars

Thank you so much to tor teen for the e-ARC via netgalley!

I really loved book one so I was hoping to love this one, but I just never really got totally interested. I don't know if it was the politics, the characters, or just that I wasn't in the mood for it.

I did really enjoy the separate plots for Amarande and Luca though!

If I had the option, I would give this book no rating because I ended up DNFing at 67%!

I was initially drawn to this series because of the cover and the fact that it was pitched to be like The Princess Bride. As far as starting off in an insta-lovey romance, with action/adventure it definitely is!! I just think that it is written for the younger side of YA, and so for avid fantasy readers like me... it is underwhelming.

The story premise is really fun, and I think if you are a beginner you may really enjoy it! One thing I really missed is the magic in this book... I don't know if I blocked it out, or what happened, but I don't remember a single magical thing happening, or what the magic system even looked like- which is something I really enjoy reading about in my fantasy books.

Overall, I think it comes down to the execution of the writing for me. Like I said, I think it's written for readers on the younger side of fantasy- meaning it can be easily digestable to the reader, no heavy romance, a fairly safe plot, and I think that the premise of the book is such a great idea! But when it came down to the execution, I just couldn't get into the storyline, or really understand the characters motivations without thinking it was too soon or uncalled for as I was reading it.

This would be a great starter book if you've never read fantasy before and want to start on more of an action/adventure book that leans towards younger YA!

xx
-Christine

DIDN'T SPARK ANY JOY

I think I might be in the minority here, but I just didn't enjoy this. I don't know what it was, but I just couldn't get into it. I just wanted it to be over with. Amarande especially bothered me. She is supposed to be the clever, sharp, battle- and strategy trained daughter of the Warrior King. However, she made numerous rash, stupid and naive decisions that were not in line with her supposed upbringing. Time and time again I facepalmed myself because it was so obvious to me that she just charged into one mistake after another without thinking it through.

So, in line with the Marie Kondo saying - only keep things that spark joy - I will probably be giving up on this series. It has been a bit of a let down all the way through for me. I don't see how it can come back from this.

*3.5 stars*

I would like to welcome a new book into the fold of I-Avoided-the-Middle-Book-Syndrome. I believe that "Kingdoms of Sand and Sky" was initially meant to be a duology but NetGalley spoiled a while ago it was in fact going to be a trilogy and the rest of the media has caught up now. And with the twists that took place at the end of the first book that were further fleshed out in this installment, I think it's a great choice to move the story to three books rather than two.

Firstly, I LOVED the new characters that were introduced in this installment. Ferdinand is so cute and so pure and I just want to squish him like the jelly bean he is (yes, I know the contradiction in that statement but let me live!). I love the complexity of his character and the way he is determined to make his own decisions and be his own person despite the way that he was raised. I loved the conflict that his character's appearance caused and I think the twist was handled so well and so satisfyingly. Getting to meet the Warlord of the Torrent and discover the mystery surrounding the title was also a great twist which added depth to the story.

The character development in this installment was great as well. Amarande's strength, determination, and self-assuredness continued to be a cornerstone of the story which I enjoyed. Luca really came into his own in this book and I loved seeing him embrace the changes that have happened in his life. I also liked that the rough patches he experienced from the first book and in the pages of this one didn't harden his heart and he's still the kind, understanding man we first met. Surprisingly I really found myself looking forward to Taillefer's portions of the book while reading. I was so upset and angry with him after the events of the first installment that I was dismayed to see he had a prominent roll in the second book. However, I really enjoyed the expansion of his character and the glimpses at his true self that he gave Amarande throughout their adventure. And his witty remarks always made me giggle even during the darkest times of the story.

Overall, the pacing of this book was better than the first in my opinion. It was far more interesting with more events happening and greater twists. If you enjoyed the first book, there is a very strong possibility that you will like this one even better. The stakes become so high and the characters grow so much that it even escapes the middle book syndrome. I'm really intrigued of what will happen in its closing book, especially with the tantalizing title of "The King Will Kill You."

This is the sequel to The Princess Will Save You, a retelling inspired by The Princess Bride, this book was better, but definitely felt flat at the end, I wanted so much more and expected it as well, so much potential but the worldbuilding and character development went laking for my liking. The plot twists are got, there is not a storyline per se, so I felt all over the place. It was an entertaining story though.

I think most elements in the book are fine: the world-building is good, the characters' dynamics are engaging and the way they are conveyed into the plot classicly makes for an amazing fantasy. However, I do have one particular problem with both "The Princess Will Save You" and "The Queen Will Betray You", and it taints all of the qualities named above.

Sometimes, it felt like the book doesn't trust the reader, or the book itself. Between the blurb and the titles, one is able to interpret that the book has a feminist purpuse, specifically a subersive one. And I think that's great! Love it! Nevertheless, the book sort of feeds the reader with a spoon very often. There's even a quote that made me realize that I wasn't imagining my problem, the lack of subtlety or trust on the reader was there. ""Oh, so the patriarchy on a nutshell". Little instances like that all over both books end up taking away from the story and making certain characters archetypes and subplots a bit shallow. The reader will get it!!! And it will be amazing!!! We don´t need to be directly told, the story tells it!!!!!

In conclusion, the books are worthwhile and enjoyable, but they would be even better if the focus to convey the theme was put on the story itself.