Kateri, Princess of the Kingdom Achra in a desert kingdom ruled over by her father, gives this book a lot of hope right off the bat.

From the very beginning, we see the ruthlessness of Kateri’s father, her devotion to her kingdom, and her desire to do whatever is necessary to one day take her fathers throne.

This book started really strong. We immediately are introduced to the manipulation tactics of the King and Rodric, we learn about the Desert boys, Kateri’s dreams, and the intense training she goes through to win her fights in the ring. I liked Kateri immediately, she was fierce and knew what she wanted in life (and her absolute disgust at marrying a man she loses to in battle was perfect).

I figured the Desert Boys would be likable, and I was right. There’s quite a few of them but the one’s that stick out are Cion and Dimic, who are both absolutely adorable people. Dimic is a proud child, and I love how he was both strong and resourceful, but also naive and very much a child. Cion is a tough but lovable leader, although even though I read a lot of YA, I will never fully wrap my head around the “teenager is somehow a notorious leader” thing. Cion was extremely talented and capable considering he is an actual child. Kateri is said to be 17, and I don’t think his age is ever expressly stated, I would wager he was 18-19.

After the introduction of our adorable Desert Boys, this book started to go a little downhill for me. We had very clearly defined good guys and bad guys. Our villains were all evil, with no real rhyme or reason to it, they just suck. Our good guys are pure hearted, they just want what’s best for everyone, without even a hint of selfish behavior. And then we have the hero of our story, Kateri, learning that everything she believed in life was wrong and that *gasp* there’s a secret in the kingdom and she’s the only one who can save everybody!

There were some interesting twists that followed though, and I really loved learning about the desert. Between scorpions, windy sand dunes, and secret hideaways the desert had a very magical vibe to it that I liked it. The stories of the desert are weaved so wonderfully into the kingdoms mythos and I was enchanted. I wanted to learn everything about this kingdom, this desert, and the world beyond it.

This book wraps up very nicely, and although I was a tad but disappointed in the ending, it was a good end for a standalone. It was a tad bit cheesy overall, but still a pretty solid end.

The Tiger Queen was more than just about a girl finding her destiny. It was about finding yourself. As cheesy as that sounds. Kateri was a young girl shaped and manipulated by those around her in order to use her for the throne.

Kateri was the ultimate warrior queen throughout the book. She had her mind totally changed and rechanged through The Tiger Queen and I was in awe of the strength that she carried through in everything. Kateri became a part of the group that she had sworn to destroy in order to become stronger than her enemy.

Cion was the ultimate foil to Kateri and I loved their relationship. He was so supportive of her from the beginning when no one else was and it brought Kateri the most amount of self-importance. It wasn’t that it made her have too much hubris. It made her believe in herself more and not rely on someone else’s opinion on her.

The character development in Kateri was astounding. The writing was poetic and uber descriptive. Honestly, I’m wondering why I didn’t read Annie Sullivan before..

The Tiger Queen was almost perfect. I wanted a little more romance but it was nearly perfect. I loved it

~ARC provided by NetGalley~
I really enjoyed this one. It was very engaging and honestly I couldn't put it down. Definitely a good easy read. ♡

One of the most entrancing and captivating books of the year! 

Let's be real, the tigers, my favorite animal, are what drew me to this book. I also loved the fact that it is a standalone. One and done (not that I wouldn't love more.)

Kateri is such a strong character! She is not afraid to stand up for what is right and fight what is wrong. The story is intriguing from beginning to end. Kateri learns truths she could never fathom, and has to make huge life decisions in order to combat those truths. This book has something for everyone, and well, the romance is swoon-worthy as well! 

E-arc provided from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Our main character is Kateri, who is the princess of Achra. She's a headstrong character who has strong beliefs that she holds onto. In the beginning of the book I was kind of annoyed by the fact that she didn't want to listen to the other characters when it came to her father, the king. However she eventually did the right thing so I ended up liking her more. She was a good character that I enjoyed reading about and who had developed a lot over the course of the book.

I really enjoyed the writing. I also liked the fact that it's a standalone. I don't read many standalones so it was nice to have a complete story in one book without having any cliffhangers or unresolved storylines. The pacing was also really good. 

I enjoyed the story. It was fast paced and action packed. I was eagerly awaiting what happened next as I turned the pages. I also really enjoyed the romance. It was very sweet and cute. The ending was also really nice and wrapped everything up nicely. 

I really liked this book. It was a quick easy read and I'm happy that I decided to give it a try. I recommend it if you're looking for quick read about princesses and royal kingdoms. It was a cute book that I liked reading.

This novel tells the story of a princess fighting to retain her right as queen, while her people suffer from a drought, which might just have a sinister plot beneath it.

My favorite parts of this novel were the times when the desert and sand almost seemed a character itself. It’s unforgiving and brutal, and yet it gives life and soul to those who seek it. The sand surfing and sand dancing were particularly fun and beautiful.
~
However, although there were a few parts I liked (including the ending, which was pretty exciting), I found myself bored through a lot of the novel and questioning what was happening and why characters did certain things.

I don’t think there will be a sequel. The ending wrapped up pretty nicely, which is a good thing, since I never became invested enough in the characters to want to read more.

A couple questions I had while reading:
- when Kateri goes on the raid with the boys, where did they get the water? All I knew was that they had empty buckets and we’re going on a raid, then suddenly, before the raid, they all had buckets full of water to give to people in the city. It never said where or how they got the water.
- Kateri is always saying she could do better if Cion told her things. But why can’t she do it herself? She’s extremely capable, she shows that often, why does she keep relying on him? 
- Cion taught Rodric. Why can’t he beat him? And why on earth does he need Kateri to help him fight Rodric?

Thank you to Netgalley and Blink for an e-arc to review.

This story captivated me from the first page!  “Tiger Queen” by Annie Sullivan has an “Aladdin” feel to it, with a “Mulan-like” heroine; yet it manages to be its own unique, amazing story!

Ms. Sullivan’s book is a retelling of a short story by Frank Stockton called “The Lady or the Tiger?”  In “Tiger Queen,” Princess Kateri realizes that there’s a whole new world outside of her palace; one where it’s not all about her. And the things she thought she knew and believed are challenged.  She finds that sometimes being the strongest isn’t about physical strength or control.  Instead, being kind and forgiving, caring for the people and being their voice are where true strength lies.  She learns that she needs others in order to succeed herself.  There are so many wonderful lessons this story imparts as Kateri grows and matures throughout the book, often with the help of the infamous Desert Boys.  But will she have learned enough to fight her biggest battle and win?  Will she be able to become the Queen her kingdom needs?

“Tiger Queen” is definitely one of my favorite reads of the year so far and I cannot recommend it enough!

Content: This is a clean read with a PG rating for descriptions of battle and violence.

Rating: I give this book all the stars!  5 stars!

I want to thank Annie Sullivan, Blink, The Fantastic Flying Book Club and NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.

I think the best word for Tiger Queen is “unexpected.” I went in with some idea of what my reading experience would be like, found something different, and ended up liking it! This story is an action-packed, exploratory read, with plenty of tension and an excellent training montage. I kid you not, that was one of my favorite parts of the whole book. 

As I mentioned, I loved the action and training scenes. Sullivan has a knack for writing the quick motions of swordplay, and I liked the realistic descriptions of the moves and techniques Kateri learned. Her trainer taught her to focus on instinct and trusting her body more than her sight, which was all very intuitive. Even just reading some of the scenes kept me on my toes! In certain moments, I had no idea whether or not Kateri would win, and those were the scenes in which I realized how much I actually wanted her to beat her opponent. 

I came around to the romance and love interest: at first I thought there wouldn’t be any, and I didn’t mind that because we need more books sans romance, but eventually I came around. Tiger Queen has a great premise for an enemies-to-lovers romance, and I can always support that. Plus, the love interest himself was a pretty good guy—he wanted to help his people, and risked a lot in doing so. I liked seeing Kateri come around to trust him, and both of them learning to support one another.  

I liked the last half of the story a lot more than the beginning. It was quick and snappy, and I liked Kateri’s growth. She needed to come to some major realizations before I could support her actions, and I’m happy she was interested in learning and being open-minded. The climax was so thrilling, and it had great emotional impact as well. 

My main issue is the lack of female characters, and the addition of unnecessary patriarchal ideas. Kateri was the only notable female character for most of the story, and even she did not have that much agency. She is forced into many of her actions, and much of her character relies on being controlled by the men in her life. The first half of the book didn’t give me much of the fierce feminist vibe that had been touted in the blurb, but as I mentioned, that did change.

As for the unchallenged patriarchy: royal women (princesses) are the only ones who have to prove they’re worthy of the crown. If a man beats them in a fight, he gets to rule. As per my understanding, princes do not have to do this and inherit the crown by birthright. Many noble women also wear gold neck cuffs and heavy engagement bracelets, which are compared in-text to shackles. Men do not have to wear either. I honestly do not believe any of these gendered specifications were crucial to the storyline, and I’m not sure why they were included. 

Overall, Tiger Queen is a great read for those seeking a light fantasy. I do wish some topics were further addressed, but I would give it 4/5 stars as it is.

<b>Fresh and fiercely feminist, this reimagining of a classic short story delivered the sort of kickass warrior girl action I love to read about.</b> Even better, it belongs to the rare breed of fantasy that takes place in an entirely fictional world but does not rely on magic to make itself unique. But before I get ahead of myself, there’s a bit of explaining I need to do:

I remember the first time I read “The Lady or the Tiger?” back in middle school. It was an interesting read, very short, but also very frustrating. <i>What sort of author,</i>, I asked myself, <i>writes a story without an ending?</i>. (If you’ve already read the story, you can skip the next paragraph.)

<b>For those of you who are not familiar with it, “The Lady or the Tiger?” is a short story about a semi-barbaric king whose system of justice is based around pure chance.</b> Criminals are taken to an arena that has two doors. Behind one door is a beautiful maiden equal to the man’s station; behind the other is a tiger. The man does not know which door is which, but he has to pick one. If he picks the lady, then he is required to marry her. If he picks the tiger…well, it’s a bloody death. One day, the king discovers his daughter (who is also described as semi-barbaric) is having a romantic affair with a man from the palace, which of course is illegal because she’s the princess. The man is taken to the arena as punishment to choose his door. But here’s the twist: the princess is told which door has the lady and which door has the tiger. She knows she can signal to her lover which door to choose. But would she rather send him to a gruesome death? Or to marry another woman, knowing that it would forever mean he can’t be hers? She indicates a door to him. He opens it. And…that’s where the story ends.

At least it was fun to debate with fellow classmates which ending was more likely. 

Anyway, I tell you this lengthy anecdote so you know roughly what this novel is riffing on. <b>Fairytale retellings are in vogue right now, but <i>Tiger Queen</i> is based on a slightly lesser-told tale, and not so much a fairytale as a brief meditation on the strength and significance of human emotions.</b>

After that lengthy intro, I’m going to keep this summary brief: <b>if she wants to inherit her father’s kingdom, Princess Kateri must win a series of twelve gladiatorial arena battles.</b> If she loses, the man she loses to will marry her and become king. The kingdom, formerly on an oasis in the middle of the desert, is suffering from a severe drought, made worse by the notorious Desert Boys, who steal more water from the wells than their ration tokens allow. The Desert Boys, led by a boy known as Cion whose swordsmanship is said to be unmatched, also killed Kateri’s mother and baby brother years ago. But when Kateri’s father chooses the despicable Rodric, a cruel and ruthless man—and Kateri’s own trainer—as her final opponent, she puts aside her disgust for the Desert Boys to seek Cion’s help training. Because beating Rodric might be impossible…but marrying him would be the worst fate imaginable.

I was largely a fan of this book, which should surprise nobody. <b>There’s a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance, which is executed incredibly well</b> and is important without overpowering the main narrative, which is that of Kateri’s development. And oh, what great development she gets! <b>At its heart, Kateri’s character arc is one about finding independence and overcoming prejudices.</b> After spending her entire life cooped up in a palace, with very few friends and no real hobbies besides fighting and occasionally reading, Kateri starts the book very emotionally stunted and dependent on others. Her temper is so bad, it is almost embarrassing to read. And while she is skilled with a blade, she is not so adept at navigating social situations. Going out into the desert to join a band of boys she hates on principle, abandoning her life of luxury in hopes of earning her freedom? What better setup is there for her to reconceptualize her privilege and grow to understand what connection really means? 

While Kateri herself was great, I also really enjoyed the Desert Boys. <b>Cion is…not what you would expect. In the best way possible; I won’t say more than that.</b> And little Dimic, the seven-year-old lockpick extraordinaire, is adorable and funny and generally just fantastic.

And the setting! Annie Sullivan has built a world complete with its own mythology, justice system (see the two-door choice in the story that inspired this novel), and wildlife, including cactuses that grow spontaneously out of the ground in a matter of seconds. Even the food is unique, consisting largely of snakes and scorpions and lizards and other desert-dwelling creatures. Because of the drought that the kingdom is stuck in, conditions are also oppressively hot and dry, with sand that blows everywhere, even inside of houses—even inside the palace. Not going to lie, I was constantly thinking of that Star Wars quote about sand, how it’s irritating and gets everywhere. And the rage of the people fighting for enough water just to survive comes across as a very natural reaction to such a threat to quality of life.

I only had three gripes, all of them quite small. The first was that <b>not a lot of development is given to the bad guys in this book</b>. I’m not going to explain who they are, because spoilers, but suffice to say we do find out why they do what they do, but only at the most basic level. We never see much expression of complexity from them. Of course, we are seeing them through Kateri’s eyes, which may contribute to that, but it would have been nice to know a little more about possible internal conflicts they may have had, knowing that their actions hurt some while benefiting others. The second is that <b>the epilogue was really odd.</b> I like that it tried to give some idea of the future of the kingdom after the novel’s events, but it felt like an afterthought, just a list of what changes occurred, without the same narrative sense and propulsive writing that filled all the previous pages. It might have been better to just cut it altogether, or replace it with an actual scene instead of basically a series of notes. And the third is…well…<b>why are there no girls in the Desert Boys?</b> Even though Kateri can one-up just about any of them, she is the only girl to actually be a part of the gang. I wonder if some of this has to do with familial expectations for girls versus boys, or something along those lines, but it was a little irritating to see, because there was no good reason for it.

So, while it does have a few small flaws, <b><i>Tiger Queen</i> was a largely enjoyable read, and I’m rounding a 4.5-star rating up to 5 for Goodreads purposes.</b> Unlike many YA novels today, it isn’t bloated with unnecessary scenes, so it goes quickly and doesn’t drag. Kateri is my favorite sort of female lead, strong both physically and mentally, still figuring herself out but not willing to let anyone make her choices for her. And just like the tigers in the arena, she is hungry—for justice, and for freedom. If you like strong female leads, and even if you don’t usually like fantasy, I would definitely recommend you give this one a go!

<i>Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.</b>

I received an ebook copy of this novel from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own, I agreed to a review as part of the FFBC book tour. 

Set in the  desert kingdom of Achra, Princess Kateri's sole ambition in life is to use her training to win her tournaments against potential suitors and earn her right to be the next Queen. At age 16 she has to battle one suitor each month. If she loses, she must marry the victor. If she wins, the suitor is banished to the desert and she goes on fighting until she wins all 12 battles ending on her 17th birthday.

10 years ago Kateri's mother was killed by a gang called the Desert Boys who still torment the kingdom stealing water from the wells in an already drought ridden kingdom. Once Kateri is named Queen, she plans on taking out the Desert Boys and figuring out how to bring water back to the kingdom. When the final suitor is revealed and she knows its a battle she won't be able to win, she is desperate to do anything to win her title and help her kingdom even if it means seeking out the enemy for more training.

There was a LOT of sand description. Rough texture, dry, ever changing/shifting, ect. Although I did enjoy sand games and ritual descriptions I didn't like the CONSTANT reminder the setting was in the dessert- I understand that.

I had never heard of the short story 'The Lady, or the Tiger?' until I read Tiger Queen so I looked it up. I really enjoyed the premise of choosing your destiny/consequence behind a door and that coming over into this story.

The characters and the story were all VERY predictable. I liked the main character thought she was in the top 3 for the best warrior. She knew her strengths and limitations and sought guidance from someone more skilled than her. Along the way she learned more than her sheltered palace life and truly had a heart for the people. I started telling my daughter the beginning of the story and she was able to guess the entire thing (with the exception on Kateri's handmaiden).

This book got better as it went along! At first I did not like Kateri, and through most of the book I still felt like I could not connect with her, but I enjoyed the plot and her growth as a character. Cion was a great addition, as well as Dimic and all the other Desert Boys that Kateri got to know. I almost wish we had seen more of her interactions with her father instead of seeing through recollections like she did, but I also understand why most of the story needed to take place away from the castle. Kateri needed time and distance to come into her own and learn more about the people she had been so desperate to rule. Kateri really was the driving force of the novel, which was nice because the romance was not the main point, but a subplot that simply enhanced what was already taking place.
The setting and descriptions of this world were some of the best parts of the story. The setting came alive, and I could see it playing out like a movie. In fact, I think this would make a great movie!

I wanted to love this one. I love princesses who can kick ass and take names. I love rulers who want to do whatever it takes to do right by their people.

I don’t love whatever happened in Tiger Queen.

The Lady, or the Tiger? was one of the few short stories I enjoyed reading in high school. And I was intrigued by a YA that was inspired by it. And yet…

AND YET.

There was a lot of steaming misogyny in this one. A lot of focus on the boys being better than the girls. I couldn’t get into this story, no matter how hard I tried. It could have been so good, and yet…

Perhaps this story just isn’t for me. I know this isn’t Sullivan’s first rodeo and she’s got several other books that people love out there. It’s possible I just don’t jive with her writing.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley. This is my honest opinion.

I have not read anything quite like the Tiger Queen. It was very original. Frank Richard Stockton wrote a short story called “The Lady or The Tiger”, which is the inspiration for the Tiger Queen. I haven’t read the short story, but it must have been one of those reads that stuck with the author. Now on to my review.

The world building was very detailed and unique. Achra was a city built over an oasis in the desert. The city was facing a drought and it was very trying on the people. There were customs and rituals described. Different animals and art forms. It was really cool to see how their whole world revolved around sand. It drew me into the story and kept me turning the pages.

The characters were well done. Kateri, the MC, had a lot of personal growth. I am very glad of that. Honestly, I didn’t like her to begin with as she came off cruel and spoiled. There was a kind person under the shell that her father built. Cion was my favorite. He was mature for his age and made me think of Robin Hood. I absolutely love Robin Hood. Then there is the king and Rodic. They were just evil, through and through. It was so delicious! I just loved how there was no redeeming qualities for them. I enjoy stories where there is a definite bad guy and a definite good guy. Otherwise I sometimes feel bad for the bad guy to lose if he has too many good reasons for being bad.

The ending was perfect. I would not have changed a bit. I was so happy and satisfied with the ending I haven’t been able to pick up another book. I don’t want to ruin the good vibes I have going.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for an eARC of Tiger Queen!! Annie Sullivan is a master with her characters. This is the first novel I've read by this author and I'm blown away. 

Princess Kateri is told how to do things her whole life. Her main goal is to make her father proud to the extent that she's blinded to a good portion of things around her. She's focused on training so she can win versus her suitors in the arena to prove to her father that she can rule the kingdom instead of becoming a wife. Several turns of events put her into the path of Cion and she slowly lets her walls down. Without a mother and only in the care of her father, I liken this to an abusive relationship in our culture. Her father isolates her and grooms her. 

The action and kindness in this book make me want more although Sullivan wraps up the story very nicely. I absolutely adore the characters in this book. It was fun and adventurous and I can't wait to read A Touch of Gold next.

This was a really good read. I didn't really know what to expect going into it. I really loved Annie Sullivan's writing style. It was so easy to jump right in to. The story was simple and easy to follow. I loved the different landscape that the city of Achra allowed me to visit. I don't normally read books that are set in a desert climate. Sullivan was really able to weave an interesting atmosphere that made me feel like I was there standing in the sand. 

One of my favorite parts about this book was the story arc of Kateri. You can tell off the bat that she is a strong female character and that is what I loved most about her. Her spirit and determination was really inspiring. No matter what difficulties came her way she kept fighting through them. The plot twist really throughs her for a loop and I love how she decided to handle it. 

The whole situation Kateri has to go through and discover about her city was very interesting. I loved her interactions with the Desert Boys and the slow burn romance that developed. Cion was another interesting character to me. He had his own morales and was a great person to get to know. 

Overall, I really loved this book. If you love strong female characters, plot twists, desert city climates and great writing I highly recommend Tiger Queen.

This book was so satisfying to read, I loved the character development for our 'Tiger Queen' and I love the setting and world-building that Sullivan does is perfect. It doesn't overwhelm but still immerses you down to the smaller details that I always enjoy in a book. The Desert Boys were probably my favorite part about the book and the ending was great! Loved it!

Thank you so much to Blink and NetGalley for letting me read and review an e-arc for Tiger Queen by Annie Sullivan. It was a super interesting, quick read, so I definitely enjoyed it!

Tiger Queen 4/5 Stars

Summary from Goodreads: In the mythical desert kingdom of Achra, an ancient law forces sixteen-year-old Princess Kateri to fight in the arena to prove her right to rule. For Kateri, winning also means fulfilling a promise to her late mother that she would protect her people, who are struggling through windstorms and drought. The situation is worsened by the gang of Desert Boys that frequently raids the city wells, forcing the king to ration what little water is left. The punishment for stealing water is a choice between two doors: behind one lies freedom, and behind the other is a tiger.

But when Kateri’s final opponent is announced, she knows she cannot win. In desperation, she turns to the desert and the one person she never thought she’d side with. What Kateri discovers twists her world—and her heart—upside down. Her future is now behind two doors—only she’s not sure which holds the key to keeping her kingdom and which releases the tiger.

Let’s start with my favorite aspect of pretty much any book- the characters! I really liked the Desert Boys and I thought Kateri was an interesting character- at times she seemed super naive and too trusting, but at the same time, it made sense as to why she was the way she was. Growing up as the only child to the king, next in line for the throne IF she’s able to defeat all of her opponents in the arena must have been a lot of pressure and a lot of sheltering/training. I thought that Rodric was a little bit meh in terms of a villain- he seemed very on dimensional and that made me kinda sad- he could have been built out in so many ways, so I wish that had actually happened. Cion was an interesting secondary main character and having him leading the desert boys made him so much more interesting. 

I really liked how quick a read this book was. The plot moved along very steadily throughout and it was generally just a fun, easy read. Tiger Queen comes out on September 10th, so be on the lookout for it then or pre-order it/request it at your local library to make sure that you have a chance to read it ASAP!

3.5/5 stars — A compelling character journey stands out against a sand-scoured setting

"I would be the desert's justice, mightier than any tiger."

In a kingdom plagued by water shortage, Princess Kateri battles her suitors in gladiatorial combat to prove her desert-ordained right to don her dead mother's crown and assume her father's throne. Tiger Queen is a character-driven reimagining of Frank Richard Stockton's short story titled "The Lady or the Tiger." 

I had a hard time rating this novel because while I enjoyed many aspects of the story, particularly Kateri's character arc and her time with the water raiders known as the Desert Boys, other parts were disappointing. The antagonists felt flat, the plot twists were predictable, and the warrior princess' freedom from her misogynist father and trainer relied heavily on another male character. I struggle with three-star ratings because I know they can harm a book's chances of success, but this was truly a case where the good and bad averaged out to "liked it," so don't count Tiger Queen out!

The premise of a gladiator princess got me to pick up the book, but Kateri's journey toward understanding the plight of her people and choosing to battle injustice is what kept me reading. Kateri begins the book as a sympathetic but unlikeable character. One thing this story achieved masterfully was guiding the protagonist along a grittily believable path from siding with her abusers due to brainwashing to fighting for her own liberation and eventually seeking to help her kingdom as well. She discovers that strength lies not only in years of physical training but in compassion and self-determination. 

Setting development was another strength. Details of the fictional Achran culture transformed an otherwise generic desert culture into something unique. I particularly enjoyed descriptions of the cuisine, which was heavily reliant on desert-dwelling reptiles like lizards and snakes. The desert, a central part of the kingdom's history, culture, and system of governance, took on a life of its own through the eyes of the Desert Boys, a society of outcast children who resist the king's water restrictions. 

Besides the handful of weaknesses I touched on above, a couple of things bothered me about the novel. First was the prose, which seemed surprisingly unpolished in places and never achieved its dramatic potential during emotional moments. A few typos and rough spots are to be expected in an ARC and therefore didn't factor into my rating, but my 3.5 stars is conditional upon those being ironed out in the final copy. Second was a specific way in which the author chose to stay true to the source material: there's an unfortunate instance of the main character meeting someone she assumes is romantically involved with her love interest and defaults to intense jealousy. It was written in a way that made sense for the characters involved, but could easily have been reworked to avoid cliched girl hate that contributed nothing to the story (and detracted from the seriousness of the plot in which all three members of the temporary love triangle were allies in fighting atrocities against basic human rights). 

Despite quite a few shortcomings in the journey, the ending was satisfying. Tiger Queen is a standalone and a relatively quick read, so I recommend giving it a shot if you like character-driven fantasy and don't mind a somewhat cookie-cutter plot. 

content warnings: animal abuse, child abuse, child death, violence and gore typical of gladiator fights

For some reason I didn't have very high expectations when I started reading this book, but it drew me in from the very first chapter. I didn't expect it to be so cultural. Annie Sullivan does an amazing job conveying just how harsh living in the desert could be. The people not only struggle with the heat and lack of water, but also sandstorms, bugs, scorpions and snakes. The harsh realities of desert living are brought to life in this cultural retelling that I found this book to be a great read.

I really loved reading about Princess Kateri. She lived in a society where strength is the most valued quality and she had to fight suitors to prove her right to rule. Her father had expectations that were extremely high. Anything less than perfection was considerred failure to him. He abused her trying to mold her into being absolutely perfect and she tried so hard to please him. I found this relationship sick, but also easy to understand because every child wants to please their parents. Kateri was uptight and fierce, but throughout the story she grew so much and I wound up loving her so much more by the end than I had at the start of the book.

The plot was really cool. The inclusion of the desert boys really added a unique element to this story. Cion, the leader of the desert boys, was one of my favorite characters . He was a great fighter, but also had a sense of humor and he taught Kateri to loosen up and he added some levity to the story. The scenes wher3e the desert boys have fun in various ways really made me smile and made me feel closer to the characters.  There was one twist in the plot that I saw coming, but one that caught me completely off guard. I found myself so invested in this story that at one point I was so angry with a character that I wanted to throw my book across the room. I really didn't anticipate that I was going to enjoy this book as much as I did.

Overall I am super impressed. I didn't think this story would be so cultural, but it was the characters that really got me invested. This was my first read by Annie Sullivan, but now I'm dying to read A Touch of Gold. Annie Sullivan knows how to bring characters to live, balance the heavy scenes with banter or light moments and also write a plot that makes the book hard to set down. Annie Sullivan is an author to pay attention to and I can't wait to see what she does next.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read Tiger Queen by Annie Sullivan. I loved the world building in this book. I felt like I was in a desert country. Each character was unique and loved how you become a part of each of them. Annie really knows how to weave a story. I enjoy reading books by this author and I can't wait to read more in the future. I suggest picking this book up when it becomes available.