Title: Shielded (Shielded, #1)
Author: KayLynn Flanders
Pages: 432
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: 21st July 2020
Blurb from Goodreads:
The kingdom of Hálendi is in trouble. It's losing the war at its
borders, and rumors of a new, deadlier threat on the horizon have
surfaced. Princess Jennesara knows her skills on the battlefield
would make her an asset and wants to help, but her father has other
plans.
As the second-born heir to the throne, Jenna lacks the firstborn's--her brother's--magical abilities, so the king promises her hand in marriage to the prince of neighboring Turia in exchange for resources Hálendi needs. Jenna must leave behind everything she has ever known if she is to give her people a chance at peace.
Only, on the journey to reach her betrothed and new home, the royal caravan is ambushed, and Jenna realizes the rumors were wrong--the new threat is worse than anyone imagined. Now Jenna must decide if revealing a dangerous secret is worth the cost before it's too late--for her and for her entire kingdom.
My Review:
*I received an eARC
of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Random House
Children's Books and NetGalley*
Princess Jennesara's
kingdom of Hálendi is at war and is losing.
Jenna longs to use
her skills for fighting on the battlefield, but her father, the king,
instead announces that Jenna is betrothed to a neighbouring kingdom's
heir in exchange for help in the war.
Jenna has long kept
her magic - something that only the first born, Jenna's brother,
should have - secret, and will have to continue to do so as she
leaves her home and family behind to begin her new life in Turia
where she will marry the prince.
But when Jenna's
procession is attacked, she manages to escape.
Believed to be dead,
Jenna must decide who she can trust as she searches for the truth and
a way to save her kingdom.
Shielded is pretty
much your average YA fantasy, and while it didn't particularly stand
out for me, I did enjoy it.
Jenna was a likeable
and relatable protagonist. I liked that she would rather wear
trousers than a dress or skirt, and that she knew how to fight and
was good at it. I thought Jenna was brave to leave her home to marry
someone she'd never met. I liked the relationships she made
throughout the book, especially the ones with other girls/young
women.
The magic was
interesting and I enjoyed reading about it.
The romance was
quite sweet at times, but it felt a little rushed to me.
The setting was
interesting and I would like to find out more about the different
kingdoms.
The plot was
intriguing and held my attention, but I wasn't on the edge of my
seat. I did guess a few plot twists, but not all of them.
The writing style
was easy to follow and I read this quite quickly.
I'm unsure if I will
continue with this series or not.
Overall, this was an
enjoyable read that I would recommend.
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