#BookReview :: The Queen of the Tearling (The Queen of the Tearling #1) by Erika Johansen

Kelsea Glynn is the sole heir to the throne of Tearling but has been raised in secret by foster parents after her mother - Queen Elyssa, as vain as she was stupid - was murdered for ruining her kingdom. For 18 years, the Tearling has been ruled by Kelsea's uncle in the role of Regent however he is but the debauched puppet of the Red Queen, the sorceress-tyrant of neighbouring realm of Mortmesme. On Kelsea's 19th birthday, the tattered remnants of her mother's guard - each pledged to defend the queen to the death - arrive to bring this most un-regal young woman out of hiding...

And so begins her journey back to her kingdom's heart, to claim the throne, earn the loyalty of her people, overturn her mother's legacy and redeem the Tearling from the forces of corruption and dark magic that are threatening to destroy it. But Kelsea's story is not just about her learning the true nature of her inheritance - it's about a heroine who must learn to acknowledge and live with the realities of coming of age in all its insecurities and attractions, alongside the ethical dilemmas of ruling justly and fairly while simply trying to stay alive...

Soon after her birth Kelsea Glynn was sent away into hiding. Marked for death, she returns to the kingdom once she turns nineteen and now either she will be dead or live to be the fiercest queen of the Tearling. Accompanied by Lazarus, she takes on the perilous journey to win over her people, her country from the clutches of the Red Queen and the respect of The Fetch. But her path is not so easy – filled with hurdles and betrayals, Kelsea has to take on a lot of responsibilities. Will she be successful or will she bite off more than she can chew?!

I absolutely loved this book! From the authors beautiful style of narration to the setting to the charactersto the whole plot. Everything about it is brilliant. I can see the film rights have already been bought even before the release of the book. It has a magnetic quality about it that is absolutely unavoidable and I finished reading this book in one sitting, resulting to a really late dinner for everyone in the family.

Kelsea is a strong character, full of doubts about herself, yet she overcomes them strongly. I liked the way the author narrated her inner turmoil about what actions to take, it made her more real to me. Lazarus is another really strong character. I hope Kelsea has him till the very end. His strong presence lends some assurance about the safety of the princess. And oh! The Fetch. I absolutely love this rebel. There is something charming about this character that has not only Kelsea smitten to him. I also liked the aura of mystery about the Red Queen, her real identity and her powers.

The narration of the story switches from POV to POV giving us a complete look at every aspect of the story from different characters. I wish though the author would have included Lazarus’s POV too. I would have loved to know what goes on in his mind. The plot is totally unique from what I have read so far. Infused with humour and twists, the story is one hell of a roller coaster journey.

Overall an amazing read that I would recommend to every YA Fantasy lovers.