The Queen of the Tearling

By Erika Johansen

The Queen of the Tearling - Erika Johansen
  • Release Date: 2014-07-08
  • Genre: Epic Fantasy
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 512 Ratings

Description

“Call it The Hunger Games of Thrones. Erika Johansen’s debut novel is a genre mashup: medieval fantasy meets dystopian future. . . . The setting, combined with Johansen’s deft hand with character and plotting, really does work. . . . An addictive and enjoyable adventure. . . . The Tear is just as easy to get sucked into as Westeros or Hogwarts or Panem.” —USA Today

Magic, adventure, mystery, and romance combine in this epic debut in which a young princess must reclaim her dead mother’s throne, learn to be a ruler—and defeat the Red Queen, a powerful and malevolent sorceress determined to destroy her.

On her nineteenth birthday, Princess Kelsea Raleigh Glynn, raised in exile, sets out on a perilous journey back to the castle of her birth to ascend her rightful throne. Plain and serious, a girl who loves books and learning, Kelsea bears little resemblance to her mother, the vain and frivolous Queen Elyssa. But though she may be inexperienced and sheltered, Kelsea is not defenseless: Around her neck hangs the Tearling sapphire, a jewel of immense magical power; and accompanying her is the Queen’s Guard, a cadre of brave knights led by the enigmatic and dedicated Lazarus. Kelsea will need them all to survive a cabal of enemies who will use every weapon—from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic—to prevent her from wearing the crown.

Despite her royal blood, Kelsea feels like nothing so much as an insecure girl, a child called upon to lead a people and a kingdom about which she knows almost nothing. But what she discovers in the capital will change everything, confronting her with horrors she never imagined. An act of singular daring will throw Kelsea’s kingdom into tumult, unleashing the vengeance of the tyrannical ruler of neighboring Mortmesne: the Red Queen, a sorceress possessed of the darkest magic. Now Kelsea will begin to discover whom among the servants, aristocracy, and her own guard she can trust.

But the quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun—a wondrous journey of self-discovery and a trial by fire that will make her a legend . . . if she can survive.

Reviews

  • Just wow

    5
    By Skylar12 :)
    I can’t even start with this book. Honestly Kelsey is one of my all time favorite characters in ya dystopian/anarchy books. She is how I imagine myself in these situations. She is stubborn but fights for what she wants and honestly she isn’t stupid like some other female main characters I have read. Kelsey is someone who will go through mountains just to get what she wants. For her I think the pathway between right and wrong is so clear for her and even though Kelsey is insecure and makes mistake every once in a while I feel that Kelsey herself is a character that we can relate too. Plus some scene actually THE WHOLE BOOK had me admiring her. My respect for Kelsey 📈📈📈📈. The book itself was a good concept, but I stayed for Kelsey to be quite honest. Still an AMAZING BOOK!!!! 👍👍👍👍👍
  • THIS BOOK IS AMAZING

    4
    By simcard123456789
    okay to be honest i found this book on Instagram and it intrigued me soo much that i paid ma moneys and here we are i am enjoying this book alot rn and will continue the trilogy
  • Don’t get attached!!!

    2
    By ambienterror
    I wish someone had given this review before I invested in this trilogy!! The first two books are good! Well developed and engaging but the third book is an utter disservice to the story. It felt like the author lost interest and just shut the story down. Don’t get attached to any of the wonderful characters that she creates because there is ZERO closure for them and the ending is very abrupt and leaves waaaaay too many loose strings and storylines unfinished. I was EXTREMELY disappointed!!
  • Clumsily Crass

    2
    By MeeshBarlow
    I don’t know if it was the cheery cover or the fact that I’ve been reading a lot of Brandon Sanderson, but the author’s use of swear words and sexually explicit references just felt so jarring and clumsy—like the author was trying to hammer home that this is a a book for adults not teens. “Take me seriously; I’m crass.” Whereas Sanderson tackles sex slavery and tyrants who gluttonously fulfill their lusts, his world-building and characterization are so complete that he doesn’t need to drop the F or C words to somehow bolster it. So while I’m interested to find out how our young queen will defeat the Red Queen, the author’s crass word choice just immediately makes me envision someone in their apartment clickety-clacking on the keyboard instead of immersing me in a well-developed world where difficult issues are confronted and overcome. As a former high school English teacher, I guess I’m picky about the unnecessary use of swear words and sexually explicit references. But maybe its just that I’ve seen other authors tackle the same subjects and themes expertly in a way that appeals to both teens and adults.
  • A good read

    5
    By Jenamlo
    I enjoyed the book, there’s a couple moments when I would be lost but I enjoyed it overall looking forward to the next book
  • Strong, believable, relatable

    5
    By MusicwithK9s
    Finally! A female heroine who's not perfect, (perhaps a bit plump, not beautiful, gets scared, etc.) but who uses her head and her heart to lead her people. Can't wait to read more!
  • Amazing

    5
    By ANTM 09
    Erika knows how to weave a tale! Great series.
  • Check out the bookstagram @bookbutterfly_

    5
    By Lee lee468988654
    This book is slow-paced. I usually don't like slow paced books because they become boring but I LOVED ❤ this book. This book HOOKED 👀 me in and it wasn't letting me go. This book is REAL it never sugarcoated anything. It never skirt around risqué topics it told you that this happened and it made me see the world more clearly. I also love the characters and how there was elements of mystery put throughout the story !! 💖
  • An excellent work

    5
    By EvilSOB
    This is an outstanding story from beginning to end.
  • Woah.

    5
    By RRCWB
    I really think this is one of the best series I've ever read. I didn't read these books I lived them.... Well that's at least what it felt like;)