My edition: Kindle Owned
Pages: 285
Series: True Reign #1
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Published: Nov. 15, 2013
Rating: 4 stars
Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Rema lives in a brutal kingdom where travel between regions is forbidden, people are starving, and looking at someone the wrong way can mean death. Nineteen-year-old Darmik is the king’s son and Commander of the King’s Army. He spends his days roving the island, doing his father’s bidding and trying to maintain control over the people.
When a chance encounter throws Rema and Darmik together, they share an instantaneous connection, but any sort of relationship between them is strictly forbidden. Darmik’s brother, the Crown Prince, notices Darmik’s interest in Rema and, in a calculated, political move, blackmails her. Faced with an impossible choice, Rema is forced to sacrifice her heart in order to save her family.
As Rema is taken to the palace with the Crown Prince, Darmik confronts the growing rumor that a legitimate blood heir to the throne exists and is trying to overthrow Darmik’s family. In Darmik’s quest to hunt down and kill the threat, he discovers that nothing is as it seems. Locked in the king’s castle, Rema finds herself a key player in a massive power struggle. When Darmik shows up, she’s not sure if she can trust him. The line between friends, enemies, and loyalty becomes blurred. As truths are unlocked, Rema understands that she just might be the key to finding the rightful heir and restoring peace to the kingdom… if she can manage to stay alive long enough.
Review:
The word is to be prepared.The key will arrive.We must all be ready.
The opening to this book broke my heart. Then a little later on around 72% an incident happens which I will spoil because it’s one of those that needs to be spoiled. I had to skip a couple pages due to this incident. Rema speaks out against Lennek in front of important people and the king makes her watch a horse get whipped to death. Um, sick. Even though I didn’t read the full incident I lost sleep over that. And I personally want to warn someone in case they like me can’t stomach that. So here is your warning.
To be honest, if I had read that this incident happened I would not have picked up this book. I don’t do animal cruelty nor do I like to read about what happens in the prologue. But I finished this book.
Rema is seventeen and is at the proper age to get married. The two princes are Lennek and Darmik. Lennek the crowned prince and Darmik the younger brother. Rema is not happy with a marriage proposal to her closest friend, she runs through the forest where she meets Darmik. Darmik shows an interest in her which perks up Lennek. Lennek forces Rema to go to the castle with him. She just wants to be home with her aunt and uncle raising horses.
The book ends on a cliffhanger. I plan to buy both of the remaining books. I really hope that I don’t run into more of what happened in this book. I’m okay with battle scenes but unnecessary cruelness to animals.
The Kansan Reader 