Audrey Coulthurst

Denna has long been betrothed to a prince from another kingdom, and she’s been raised and trained to fulfill the role of future queen, but when she arrives in her new home, despite her royal fiancé being perfectly lovely to her, her secret magical abilities, which she’s fought hard to master and conceal, start getting out of her control. It possibly has something to do with her soon-to-be sister-in-law, Mare, who is the mistress of the stables and a dab hand at fighting as well. When there’s a murder in the castle, Denna and Mare team up to find out who the culprit is, and they both must deal with their feelings toward one another.

This one had so much potential and I was excited to read it, but boy, did it disappoint. I wanted to love it, but it’s just…boring. The characters are never developed – and the author *tells* us everything about their personalities without ever once *showing* us that those traits are there – and the plot is just as bland as the people inhabiting it. It’s a great idea for a story, but the execution is, sadly, sloppy and lazy.… (más)