This book had me on the edge of my seat for beginning to end! A fantastic start to a new fantasy series filled with royalty, betrayal, political intrigue and romance! I loved how each sister was so unique with her own flaws. My favorite was definitely Beatriz! Each kingdom was different even with such similar conflicts at heart, there was continuous differences between each kingdom and prince which I really appreciated. Laura Sebastian is such an atmospheric writer but every element of the plot was well thought out and developed! I can’t wait for the next book! This is a perfect addition to your February TBR for sure!
Thank you again NetGalley for this early copy!

Ahoy there me mateys!  This be the first book in the series and I will certainly be reading the next.  Ye follow triplet princesses who have been raised for espionage and deception.  At sixteen they are being married off to princes of neighboring kingdoms as the first step in their mother's plan to become Empress of the continent.  Though willing participants, each daughter finds unexpected circumstances in their new homes.  Can they survive without each other?  Do they want to?

The premise sounds quirky and that is why I wanted to read this.  There were problems with this book.  The sisters were at times hard to tell apart.  Despite their oh-so-amazing training, all three are naïve and don't seem to use many of the skills they supposedly know.  And the romance elements are very silly.  These things would usually be a deal breaker but I had a lot of fun nonetheless.

While the plot was quite over-the-top, I did enjoy the many curveballs that the author threw in from the very beginning.  I may have rolled me eyes a lot but I also rolled with the entertainment of it.  In fact, I didn't realize how long the book was until I had finished and looked up the page count.  I enjoyed the learning about the neighboring kingdoms and the star magic.  I really loved how the book ended and set up the future craziness.  I shouldn't have liked these book given me personal preferences but I was won over in the end.  Arrrr!  

Thank ye kindly Delacorte Press for the eArc!

This book has been one of my most anticipated releases of 2022 since it was announced last year, and it absolutely did not disappoint. I loved Laura Sebastian’s 2021 release, “Half Sick of Shadows”, and this book, the first in a trilogy, outshines even that excellent read.

I’m not a reviewer who rehashes synopsis or a huge amount of the plot you can read on any blurb you can easily find on any bookseller or review site. You can go ahead and read that for yourself if you’d like. What drew me to this book from the very start and made me pre-order it as soon as it was announced (this was even before I had an early opportunity to read it, thanks to NetGalley, Random House Children’s, and Delacorte Press) were certain keywords and phrases that always perk my ears and catch my eyes: seduction, conquest, grave mistake, no innocents, trained since birth, deception, violence, secret skill… There’s almost nothing I love more than poisonous pretty girls. It may explain why I have such a fondness for Bond girls, courtesans, female assassins, and historical figures like Lucrezia Borgia. The princesses in this series were born and raised to be weapons of their mother’s design, to be armed, deployed, and fired in order to destabilize and bring down foreign countries. These princesses are their mother’s own equivalent to the CIA, and I am here for it.

What makes this book even better, though, is how the triplet princesses’ tight-knit relationship (as well as their own hearts and minds) lead them in different directions, cause them to make different decisions, and forces them to become very different people altogether once they are away from their homeland and out from directly under their mother’s thumb. These sisters all find themselves thrust into situations they were not expecting, and all that’s left to do is to try and rely on one another and their own wits. Sometimes this works out in their favor. Other times? Well…

It’s an excellent book, and a very promising start to a new series. I’m beyond excited to see what happens in the next book. A careful warning: this book does end with a cliffhanger. I’m fully invested in seeing what comes next, and I know I’ll be ordering the next book as soon as it’s announced. I can’t wait.

I've only read one other Laura Sebastian book (Ash Princess) and hadn't even heard about this one until a couple weeks ago, but I'm so glad I requested. This book is about three sisters engaged to two princes and a king so that they can aid their mother in conquering the kingdoms of these men and adding them to her empire. Sophronia, the one talented in coding and intellectual pursuits, is engaged to Leopold, the new and somehow different king of Friv. Beatriz, the flirtatious and bold sister, is engaged to Pasquale, the prince of the extremely conservative and dangerous Cellaria. Lastly, Daphne, the deadliest one of all, is engaged to the newly legitimate prince of Temarin who wants nothing to do with her or his title after the death of his half brother.
One thing Laura Sebastian does incredibly well here is the multiple POVs. It's surprisingly easy to keep track of, which is really impressive for a detailed fantasy novel with magic and political focuses. It was a bit hard to remember which sister was in which kingdom and what the beliefs and politics of each one were. However, I got ahold of it within about 20% of the book. The world-building itself worked pretty well, but the limits of stardust specifically were a little unclear to me, especially the way Friv used it. Plot-wise, I thought everything unfurled really well, but I will touch on that a bit more in a minute.
As much as I liked the characters, I didn't think they were very dynamic. I thought Leopold at the very least would be a bit more because Sophronia said his recent actions didn't match up with his personality in their letters, but it wasn't really anything about his character. I really wanted to see more from the characters, but all we ever heard was how predictable they were because they DIDN'T change enough. I wasn't expecting the sisters or the princes to become completely different people, but the biggest decisions they made were predicted by everyone. The plot twists were honestly pretty clear to me based on basic character traits of those doing betraying or other things. It didn't really affect my speed or enjoyment, but it was kind of noticeable. Beatriz was probably my favorite POV character, but I did like them all.
Overall, I did really like this book. It wasn't perfect, but I'm really glad to have requested this. It would probably be a borrow for me, not a buy, but I'd definitely read more from the author. This is great for people who love magic and political intrigue with high stakes, intricate plots.

~Thank you Random House Children's and Netgalley for allowing me to receive an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!~

5⭐𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬
•This book is a masterpiece. I have no words other than; Oh. My. God. Laura Sebastian really wants me to cry tonight. It is almost midnight. Do I care? No. Was it worth it? Yes.

𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭
•The plot is absolutely stunning. The twists and betrayals are all just heart-wrenching, and I probably need to see my doctor/therapist on Monday. The whole premise and story behind the plot as well are so unique and well-executed. I honestly felt a whirlwind of emotions reading this and was perfectly willing to sacrifice my sleep for the answers. Each event the girls got into had me biting my nails, and I love how Sebastian had the feeling to this book that there was no main character syndrome. Anyone can be hurt or killed, no matter their status. Kinda like GoT. This style had me on the edge of my seat and eager to find out what happened next.

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬
•I fell in love with the triplets, and I felt for all of them at some point during the book. My personal favorites are Sophronia and Pas. Side characters got so much love alongside the main three, and watching them grow and reveal their true identities was a great experience. The romance was also navigated in a way where it added to the story but didn't take away from it. All of the characters were dynamic and had so many layers. They were like a ten-tier cake I just wanted to sink my teeth in to and find out all the info.

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠
•The kingdoms Sebastian creates are all full of life and riddled with their own issues and drama that fueled the plot. I also like how each kingdom almost somewhat suited each sister, yet they felt so out of place when they arrived. The star magic was such a cool concept, and I can't wait to learn more about it. YA Fantasy tends to be tropey with magic and such, but I felt Sebastian really created something unique and different that I adored.

𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥
•This is an obvious must-read for anyone going to see this review. Also, the sequels can not come out fast enough so excuse me while I go purchase an in-hand copy despite reading the ARC because I can feel in my bones I will be re-reading this more than once.

I try to make these NetGalley reviews as formal as I can, but I just finished this book last night and I still can't even process what happened so please excuse how all over the place this is going to be.

I'm in awe. I've read other books by Laura Sebastian, the Ash Princess trilogy, but I didn't know how I was going to feel about this. I thought it might be a bit boring, a little bit like many other YA fantasy books, but let me tell you it was not. I will admit, my Reign (t.v. show) loving heart connected to this story. The court intrigue was EVERYTHING. When I tell you I am obsessed with each and every one of these worlds... Oh my god, I'm in a massive book hangover from this.

I loved each and every one of these characters with all my heart (or hated them with every inch of my being). I keep on going to write, "Sophronia was my favorite..." or "Beatriz was my favorite" or "Daphne was my favorite" and each time I realize that it hurts to pick one and I don't think I can. I loved Sophronia for her kindness and for her growth, her strength. I loved Beatriz for her personality, her flirtatious ways yet her genius mind. I loved Daphne for her motivations, to her dedication and how morally grey she was. I loved each and every one of the triplets and they now all hold a very special place in my heart <333. Some of my favorite side characters were Pasquale, Gisella, Leopold, Violie, Nicolo, and at times Bairre. This world of characters was so lush and deep and I don't ever want to leave.

Now, without spoiling anything, I'm just going to leave you with a little warning that Laura Sebastian is the absolute queen of plot twists. Like, I didn't see anything coming and I'm STILL in shock. The plot of this book had so many surprises, so many times where things felt hopeless, so many times when I was ready to get down on my knees and plead for what I wanted to happen to happen. This book was truly outstanding. Please, I beg that you read it. The world, the characters, the plot, everything. It was all amazing.

A fun fantasy read with lots of plot twists, interesting worldbuilding, and political intrigue. I particularly enjoyed the different format, with multi POV focused on three sisters, rather than love interests or such.

The character were interesting, though splitting the space between the three main characters left them all feeling a little less fleshed out than I would have liked. This also ends on a major cliffhanger. While I love the twist revealed, I was a bit frustrated where is cut off because this story itself didn’t feel as complete as I wanted.

Overall I am interested to see what happens in the sequel, but am not certain I would buy the book.

Thank you to Delacorte Press and Netgalley for an e-ARC of this book!
I am honestly still reeling from the cliff I was just left to dangle on, but wow I loved this book. Readers are introduced to Daphne, Sophriona and Beatriz and how their each sent to fulfill their mother's wishes in separate territories. Each sister was unique and well developed and I really enjoyed the alternating chapters and perspectives. I do think Beatriz's chapters were my favorite and I liked her headstrong and determined qualities. The world building was fantastic and I liked seeing the different kingdoms come to life. The stars as the central magic point is innovative and I liked this take. There were so many quotable moments here and I love how powerful each woman is in their own way. I'm already ready for book two and book one is just out, but I am definitely attached to this series and where it will go next.

Triplet 16-year-old princesses Daphne, Beatriz, and Sophronia have been raised from birth to marry royalty from neighboring countries and then destroy those countries from within so that their mother the Empress can take over the countries without a fight. Daphne arrives in freezing cold Friv to find that her betrothed died six days ago. The king's bastard is legitimized and Daphne will marry him instead. Beatriz marries Cellaria's prince and finds that he isn't attracted to her. Cellaria's king becomes increasingly irrational and unpredictable putting Beatriz in danger. Sophronia marries Temarin's young king whose inattention and mismanagement are destroying the country already, but she decides that she wants to make things better. I did not expect what happened at the end of this book at all, and I'm curious as to how the story will progress.

Woo boy this book was a doozy. Full of secrets and lies, political intrigue, and strong sisterly bonds, I throughly enjoyed every page.

I loved the dynamic of the sisters, and how they each had their own thing: Daphne the charming on, Sophronia the brainy one, and Beatriz the pretty one.

The last 100 or so pages truly had me on the edge of my seat, and I cannot wait for what Sebastian does next with this series.

This book was unbelievable - The Bridge Kingdom, but better. You may find yourself thinking that the plot is predictable but I promise you there is so much you won’t see coming. A must-read release for 2022!

Thank you to Delacorte and NetGalley for the eARC! The thoughts below are my own.

Laura Sebastian has been long on my list of authors that I expected to love just as soon as I read one of her books, and what a book to start with! I have definitely been sleeping on her as an author and will be fixing that ASAP.

The first chapter hooked me immediately with a great concept and fantastic voice. But it was a bit of a slow start after that until it hit its stride about halfway in. Because the triplets were all going through similar experiences as they settled into their new lives, the early chapters felt a bit repetitive, but as they started to blossom outside of their mother's immediate influence, they really grew into their own. The way the three sisters' arcs wove into each other and built on each other was masterfully done.

If you like court intrigue, princesses being awesome, and a book that makes you want to throw it across the room at THAT plot twist... you're in for a treat!

4.5/5 stars

I enjoyed the intrigue and scheming, though it did take me longer than expected to get into this story. There's some info dumps which stall things on occasion. I liked that the story was told from multiple POVs (of the three sisters), and each sister had a unique voice. I think I liked Sophie the best. There were a few unexpected twists, and the ending was also a bit of a surprise (which was a good thing). It'll be interesting to see what happens in the next book.

I received an ARC from the publisher and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Castles in Their Bones is the start of Laura Sebastian’s second YA fantasy trilogy, and it starts off with a bang. While I was a bit intimidated to see it was over 500 pages, I soon found myself sucked in, and finished it incredibly quickly.
The concept excited me, and it delivered. Full of political intrigue, the setup feels like a more cutthroat, sinister version of the family dynamics of the daughters of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria or Queen Victoria respectively, who also were sent off to marry into other Royal houses on a mass scale (although the fact that many of those princesses married into royal houses that subsequently fell wasn’t due to any bad intentions on their part). It was fascinating to learn more about the politics of the world, with some similarities to our own history, and follow the characters on the twists and turns court intrigue brings them.
Each of the sisters has a role to play in their respective new countries, and I enjoyed seeing each of them acclimate to their surroundings, while working to do their mother’s bidding. It was fun to see these strong, dynamic, cunning princesses interacting at court, taking on the challenges their marriages throw at them. They also form bonds, including romances, that are compelling to read about.
The plot has consistent twists and turns on their journeys, but I must say the last chapter was when my jaw really dropped. It had a revelation about the truth of all of this that made me truly fear for the sisters, and feel for them, given the depths of the betrayal that had just been revealed.
This is a strong start for a series, and I hope it continues in that vein going forward. If you’re a fan of YA fantasy, and like political intrigue, betrayal and backstabbing, and complex family dynamics, you won’t want to miss this one!

I received this ARC from Netgalley in return for an honest review, and honestly, this is probably my favorite book I've read in ages. The plot perfectly balances between the three main points of view (the sisters each feel and sound different, and once you're involved in their stories, it's quite simple to tell them apart), I was invested in this book so much so that despite the size I finished it in two days! The ending! I cannot wait to see the rest of this saga!
I loved the glamour of the story, it was sweeping and intricate but also really did well being both romantic and often sweet and lovely, but also rather dark and touched on a lot of topics that're really relevant to life right now (economic issues, religious freedoms, lgbt issues).
This was my first book from Laura Sebastian and I'm definitely checking out her other series. Thanks Netgalley and publishers!

3 sisters born beneath a unique starry sky, all born for a purpose, to marry and take over the rest of Vesteria. Will they succeed? Or will they discover their is more to such plots and people they meet than they thought?

This book surprised me, I was not expecting that ending and it came sooner than I thought it would I got so caught up in it. I couldn't put it down.

All three sisters are similar and yet so different. Daphne is fierce and a little bold, Beatriz is seductive and more powerful than she perceives herself, Sophronia is sensitive but strong and intelligent. Despite being separated, they show a strong sisterhood bond, caring and communicating with each other.

The book followed along in their different point of views and I can genuinely say I never got bored of any of them, they all held my interest well which doesn't always happen in multiple pov books for me.

There is so much plotting, political intrigue, royalty and more with a dash of romance. It's a great book I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys those themes in a book.

Its a strong 4.5 stars for me!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher Random House for the opportunity to read this arc.

This is my first book from Laura Sebastian and it certainly won’t be my last! This book was full of political intrigue and it was diabolically entertaining. Like our main characters, I didn’t know who to trust. The last hundred pages were full of twists, but not in an overwhelming or irritating way. I ate this book up. I didn’t even realize I was about to finish the book till I reached the end. I flew through it. It’s fast paced and very entertaining. Each of the three sisters had their own distinct personalities so it was never confusing as to what POV we were in. Might be a *spoiler* might not be but…
This mother is a monster. She is a true villain. Terribly selfish and evil. Sebastian wrote her so well that I truly hated and was enraged by a fictional character.
My only critique was that their was a lot of world building but for it being a first book it felt necessary. To some that might be overwhelming, but it’s kind of unavoidable with a first book in a fantasy series. I hope that the next book has a smidge more romance, because I truly was obsessed with Daphne and her love interest. Will be picking up the next book!

What I liked:
Castle in their bones is told in alternating points of view of 3 triplets created with the help of stardust, raised from birth to help their mother rule the world. The author has created an exciting magic system centered around the stars, and those powerful enough to pull leads from the sky are called Empryeas. The three sisters and their future husbands make for some fascinating reading. Each one has been paired since birth, but one is gay, one has to take the place of his brother who died, and the other is not well-liked. The plot of this story you think you know where it is going, but there are some plot twists I did not even see coming, and wow, the ending. This author has always delivered a good story, which is no exception.
Final Verdict:
Castles in their Bones is the perfect story for fans of House of Dragons, To Kill a Kingdom, and Shadow Between us. It keeps you guessing; the political intrigue, the lengths the mother goes to, and the betrayals are so shocking. The romance is done sweet and slow and not over the top. I can not wait for the next installment of this series. You might be up all night finishing this one.

What I liked:
Castle in their bones is told in alternating points of view of 3 triplets created with the help of stardust, raised from birth to help their mother rule the world. The author has created an exciting magic system centered around the stars, and those powerful enough to pull leads from the sky are called Empryeas. The three sisters and their future husbands make for some fascinating reading. Each one has been paired since birth, but one is gay, one has to take the place of his brother who died, and the other is not well-liked. The plot of this story you think you know where it is going, but there are some plot twists I did not even see coming, and wow, the ending. This author has always delivered a good story, which is no exception.
Final Verdict:
Castles in their Bones is the perfect story for fans of House of Dragons, To Kill a Kingdom, and Shadow Between us. It keeps you guessing; the political intrigue, the lengths the mother goes to, and the betrayals are so shocking. The romance is done sweet and slow and not over the top. I can not wait for the next installment of this series. You might be up all night finishing this one.

Castles in Their Bones (Castles in Their Bones #1) by Laura Sebastian is a great new YA fantasy series opener. I loved the dark fairy tale style of the story. I saw another reviewer mention this, but it's definitely worth keeping in mind that it also has a dash of the English Tudor era politics with magic in the mix. I particularly loved getting to the three sisters at the center of the story, Sophronia, Daphne, and Beatriz, especially that we get to hear from all three perspectives in the novel. I also particularly appreciated that the story really dives into the politics of their world. When it's described as having a lot of political intrigue, it certainly means it! Even though the novel is a little slow at times, it's more than worth sticking with with it. I have a feeling that this series will be one that just gets better as it goes along. I can't wait to read the upcoming sequel, but I don't know how I'm going to withstand the wait.