Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, YA Fantasy | Release Date: 29 September 2022 | Series: The Bonds That Bind Us | Series Book: #1 | Pages: 573 | Indie Author | Review
“I will take the Empire from them. And I will set Vartugaul free.”
S. A. Gonsalves
Overview:
Thanks to the generosity of S. A. Gonsalves and Katie & Brey PA, I was recently given a copy of The Blood Princess to review! This YA fantasy is a deliciously dark and twisted story of evil, tragedy and unexpected heroism. And (spoiler alert) I’ve had the best of times reading it!
Within The Blood Princess, Sulwyn is a young woman bringing hope to the populace under the name of Kintana. But when Sulwyn’s betrayed, she’s captured and taken before the King and Queen of the Empire, her parents. Left to die as a child, Sulwyn is now a useful pawn in their game of tyranny and her plans for escape are thwarted at every turn. Is it possible for Sulwyn to bring down the Empire from within? Will anyone help her fight for freedom? Can anyone be trusted, when even her mentor betrayed her in the end?
Happiness Boost:
Gonsalves gives us such an exceptional story, complete with an intricate magic and political system. And every time I thought I knew who was trustworthy? I was wrong! The Blood Princess kept me guessing until the very end, and I couldn’t be happier about that. I swear Sulwyn has the absolute worst luck, but this YA fantasy is an incredible tale. Give me the tumultuous heartache and danger. I’m here for it!
With morally grey characters in The Blood Princess like Daijiro, I’m head over heels in love with Gonsalves’ writing. Sometimes we’re not sure what side these characters will land on, and I really enjoy when there’s uncertainty like this. I also have to mention Taru, because he was like a breath of fresh air. He’s not morally grey, he’s just chaotic (in the best way). It was like he was a cousin to Fizban (Dragonlance: Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman) or Tom Bombadil (The Lord of the Rings: J. R. R. Tolkien) and his cameo kept me smiling for hours.
Sulwyn has issues. Am I mean to name that as a happiness boost? Probably! But you know when there are characters who have everything going for them? Things never upset them, and their plans always work? This doesn’t happen for Sulwyn. Anything that can go wrong, *does* go wrong. And Sulwyn has to scramble for solutions every time. If she doesn’t find one, people die. That’s how big the consequences are in The Blood Princess.
Downside:
No downside!
Final Thoughts:
The Blood Princess by S. A. Gonsalves is an incredible debut YA fantasy, and I know it’s one I’ll need to have here on my bookshelf. It’s just that good. Is there room? No. Does that matter? Also no! This book takes you on the most tumultuous journey, and will leave your heart aching. It is *so* well written, I am going to be following (and buying) everything Gonsalves gives us. Because this is special. If you liked what you read from this review, click on the link below to order your copy! Happy reading, glitterbugs!
You can order The Blood Princess via this link: Amazon
