Shielded by KayLynn Flanders follows the adventure of Jennesara, the secondborn of the kingdom of Halendi, who has trained all her life to be a great warrior to stand alongside her brother, Aletheren, who is slated to become king as he has inherited their family's magic. To aid their kingdom in a time of need, Jennesara is sent to marry the crown prince of the kingdom of Turia, Prince Enzo, but on her way there her party is attacked and she is forced to go on the run to discover what evil has befallen her home.

I was initially drawn to this book by its cover, so kudos to the team behind that!

As unique as the cover is, the story within was a little generic. The series of events that unfold are somewhat predictable, and I was only ever surprised once by the various plot twists that occurred. The book is compared to Furyborn, and in a sense, I can understand why because of the way it plays with timelines and the events of centuries past affecting the present day. However, the worldbuilding is as of yet quite sparse, although I appreciate that the kingdom of Turia is very heavily Italian-inspired. I was actually quite reminded of Morgan Rhodes' Falling Kingdoms series—the first book at least—based on the overall writing style, magical elements, and political themes.

The characters are likable if somewhat standard, and the romantic subplot could have used some more spice. But I did enjoy Jennesara as a protagonist, with her grit and compassion. The ending of the book certainly leaves room for ample storytelling potential, and I look forward to seeing what direction the story goes in now that the foundations have been set.

**Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.**

This has been my favorite fantasy read of 2020 so far. Following Jennasara, a warrior princess, we are brought into a world of magic, intrigue, and and romance.

+ The world-building and magic system is interesting and I like how it's incorporated into the politics of the world.
+ The relationship between Jennasara and her brother is sweet; it doesn't evolve into how I had expected.
+ There are plenty of twists in the story.
- Big info dump in the beginning; however, that makes sense since this is an entirely new world, but it could lose some readers.

Overall, I'm super excited to see this story get released into the world.

Jennasara is the warrior princess of the kingdom of Hálendi and her kingdom is under attack. All she wants is to help protect it. She did not expect the way for her to help would be her betrothal to a neighboring prince. The promise of marriage in exchange for troops but on the way to her new home her caravan is attacked and a world full of new conflict emerges.
I cannot praise this book enough. The world building was beautiful. The mysterious Wild gives me chills. The characters felt unique and well developed.
Jennasara herself is anything but a helpless princess. She fought her way through hardship and pain to come to truth. Never giving up or thinking of letting someone else solve her problems.
I cannot wait for a continuation of <i>Shielded</i> and I know I will be rereading (and purchasing) the first chance I get.

**ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Shielded is a YA Fantasy story about a Princess having to hide her magical ability as well as her identity once her caravan is ambushed while in route to a betrothal she isn't happy about.

This story was amazing! I went into this assuming this was going to be yet another "hidden princess with magical powers and a love triangle" trope and, while some of it was, the majority of the story wasn't. I really enjoyed reading this story and loved Jenna! She started out unsure of her magical ability so it took a backseat throughout most of the story which provided the space to display her physicality and fighting skills. She was strong throughout the book no matter how injured she was, so I was extremely happy that she was consistently a strong female throughout the story.

I really liked all of the characters. I wish there was a little bit more to Luc to build up his background or at least his relationship with Enzo more. He's Enzo's primary guard and they seem to have a brotherly relationship, so it would have been nice to see just a little bit more of that relationship. I'm not going to spoil anything, but there's enough to explore multiple relationships in a sequel.

The world building was nice and I liked the pacing. I love that there's a mystery to be solved. The story ends on a cliffhanger but it was a good one and done so well that you want to keep reading to see what will happen next.

Overall, I give this book 5 stars.

I really enjoyed this book and will be happy when the second in the series is released. The characters were likable and the world was interesting. Enough was going on that it wasn't confusing but definitely kept my interest.

Shielded is a good action adventure with a strong female teen. I liked her spunk and willingness to learn from all world levels. The world building shows some depth but at the same time is a little thin.

This. Was. EXCELLENT.

This checked SO many boxes for me.

Rich, dense character development.
Beautiful, accurate depiction of combat.
Refreshingly unique, believable magic system.
A heroine who is a TRUE FREAKING HEROINE, an embodiment of VALOR and GRACE. A leader, a nurturer, a fierce warrior in every way.
Just the cutest romance, so cute I didn't even care it was a little insta-lovey.

This was everything that I, as a lover of epic fantasy, truly adore in my books. I LOVE slow burn, slow buildup narratives that favor character development over plot driving. So readers who prefer a lot of events, a lot of things going on, a lot of arcs, might be disappointed or impatient because it does unfold a little slow and does have a single main point of view. But if you invest that time. I promise that you will be SHEDDING TEARS. The characterization and the relationships that form are just so expertly constructed you can't help but get attached.

I need more books like this.

I am dying to read the sequel!!

Thanks to netgalley for providing a digital copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

I usually find the world-building chapters of a new fantasy setting quite slow paced and lecture-like. But not this time. KayLynn Flanders' debut novel is a fully developed fantastical world that is unfurled to the reader full of rich descriptions and magical tradition without bogging down the journey that Princess Jennesara must face in order to stay alive and come into her own.

Forced to hide her magic because of royal tradition, Princess Jennesara trains herself in martial skills instead. She finds herself bartered off as a bride to a neighboring kingdom's prince in exchange for reinforcing troops to help with her country's defence of it's northern border from magical attacks. She dutifully begins the trip to her betrothed despite her misgivings, but never arrives. Her party is attacked by an ancient magical foe with a grudge.

I enjoyed this story very much and am quite eager for the next installment. Recommended for fans of Tamora Pierce, Margaret Rogerson, and Sharon Shinn.

* Special thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for an eARC in return for an honest review. *

This book was so good. I’m pretty sure I was told by someone at some point that I need to put it down and eat something, but I honestly never could. I loved how fierce Jenna was, and her bond with those she cared about was truly special. Very rarely do I love every character I meet, but I truly did care for Mari, Chiara, Enzo, and Ren. Their loyalty and devotion would endear them to any reader who hears their story. And the ending just about ripped my heart out. I can’t wait for the next book to come out and recommend this book with the highest praise.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley, opinions are my own.

Shielded is the debut novel of author KayLynn Flanders. It follows warrior Princess Jennesara of Hálendi on her quest to save not just her family, but the world. Informed that she is betrothed in order to save her kingdom from a magic battle on their border, Jennesara is whisked off on her first dangerous adventure outside of the palace walls. Shielded would make a great experience for children first delving into fantasy novels, but as an adult reading the novel, it is glaringly uncomplicated.

Princess Jennesara would certainly be a great role model for children reading this book. She has a good head on her shoulders, is loyal, determined, capable at protecting herself, but also a bit of a black sheep in her home of Hálendi. Jennesara is a relatable, but familiar character, who feels more comfortable in a training ground than at court, with her first crush on her older brother’s best friend, her love of libraries, and her longing to experience the world outside the palace walls. It is on her first journey outside of these walls, that the princess will learn more about herself and her mysterious magic.

“As far as I could tell, that was the extent of my magic--a one-way glimpse into their emotions. Nothing that could lend me an edge in battle.”

The descriptions of magic, while feeling tropey to me, will undoubtedly capture the imagination of children. Jennesara is adorned with a white streak of hair, signaling she has magic. But she must keep her powers and her white streak hidden, for legends of Hálendi tell of a sister who inherited magic and tried to kill her older brother, and tore the kingdom apart in her quest for the throne. Plagued by this superstition, Jennesara braids her hair on her own, something that disgusts the court ladies, and only speaks of her magical powers--what she calls “tethers” to those to whom she is closest--to her older brother, Ren. It is not until Jennesara is attacked in route to the kingdom of Turia, where her betrothed resides, that she learns there is more to her magic than she ever thought.

Though Shielded does a fairly good job at fleshing out Jennesara, albeit into a recognizable heroine, the rest of the cast of characters suffer from an exaggerated niceness. Every character Jennesara meets, except for the blatantly evil Mages and their Shades, are happy to help her. People without much food or resources take her in. No one tries to steal from the Princess-in-disguise, even though she has an expensive looking sword, ring, boots, and uniform. Heck, even the magic forest she encounters wants to help her so bad that it doesn’t want her to leave!


“[We] both carried secrets. Too many secrets. And there was a war between our people, but we had fought the shadowmen like we’d trained together for years.”

And of course, the Prince of Turia comes to her rescue after she steals his horse, and instantly falls in love with her, even though he doesn’t realize Jennesara is actually his betrothed in disguise. Similarly, his entire family welcomes her with open arms, trusting her with guarding the Princesses, even though at the point in time the kingdom of Turia was at war with Hálendi due to the grossly exaggerated rumors of Jennesara’s murder. I think even Shielded itself realizes the absurdity of their acceptance of Jennesara, because it even tries to explain why everyone--down to the servants of the Palace that she doesn’t even interact with--like her at one point:

“‘You’ve earned their favor,’ Chiara murmured. ‘For saving me’
I tilted my head. ‘Oh.’ I’d never in my life been respected by servants. They must really admire Chiara for me to be so quickly accepted.”

This constant niceness makes it very hard to picture any of these events happening or for other events to seem like they would ever be a problem in the first place. I had to roll my eyes at the contrived conflict standing in the way of Jennesara and Prince Enzo of Turia’s love, because I knew, like everything else in Shielded, it would work out perfectly. I was never able to feel any urgency at anything happening in the novel, because everything was a pretty common trope--there was a wise old healing woman, a master-at-arms who had never fallen in battle, a desirable heir to the throne, beautiful, kind-hearted princesses in need of protection and suitors, etc.,--and had a way of working out for the best, almost like a sitcom. It doesn’t help these matters that the novel’s pacing is extremely fast, so it seems like there is no way anything could be happening as quickly as it does, whether it’s Jennesara’s arrival in Turia, her fitting in with the royal family, or her mastery of her new magic.

As a result of the familiar characterization and how fast everything moves, twists were easy to see coming. Those with evil intentions are easily recognized as evil, either creeping out Jennesara by their behavior, or with their stereotypically evil poisonous black blades, shades, scary clothing, monologues, and abilities. For instance, the evil mages seem to be blatantly color coordinated by hair, clothing, and power levels. With the gray mage predictably weaker than the fearsome black mage, the red mage named for her fiery hair and being covered in blood, and the brown mage being the student to the gray mage.

“Last, there was Gray Mage. The most cunning of all mages of that time, save only the Black Mage, and notoriously slippery. His was the only name mentioned in the text: Graymere. He rode a gray stallion and was known for his shade mages--echoes, elements of his energy who wielded black swords and did his bidding."


For younger readers, this will definitely help to keep all of the evil villains straight. For an adult, spelling it out in this manner was completely unnecessary. The fact that Jennesara hadn’t even encountered the Red Mage, but was able to read about all of her abilities in a book in the library completely spoiled the surprise. Instead of Jennesara finding a worthy female opponent in battle at last and discovering why she is so dangerous first-hand, reading it in a book is severely anti-climatic.

The one part of Shielded that I found to be somewhat obscure or layered was the magical lore. It’s clear that the author put a lot of work into her ideas surrounding the magic of her lands. I especially loved the idea of a lost library, complete with dangerous magical artifacts and knowledge existing somewhere for the taking. When reading about Jennesara hunting for clues to reach the Library before the evil mages, I was at my most intrigued. Unfortunately, this Library was never reached in this novel.

Though I found Shielded to be pretty bland and limited to archetypes overall, there were a lot of phrases in the novel that I found to be a little too original and quite distracting. Some of these phrases include “the air tasted like a soup of tranquility and dust,” and “her voice quieted like the breath before a scream,” as well as “Now that I’d left the Wild, the absence of its magic left me stretched thin, like a worn-out sweater,” and “He tasted like a fresh apple, still warm from the tree.” These types of phrases and their weird metaphors jolted me right out of Shielded, and often forced me to reread. I can’t possibly imagine drinking a soup of tranquility and dust or someone tasting like a warm apple that was not baked in the oven, but freshly picked from the tree, or a person knowing what a sweater was in this type of fantasy novel.

I really wanted to enjoy Shielded for its strong warrior-princess heroine and the interesting magic system and lore, however, I truly believe it was not meant for adult, or even young adult readers. While I was hoping for an experience similar to that of reading Tamora Pierce or Robin McKinley--novels I cherished as both a child and an adult--Shielded does not have the same levels of subtlety and originality, in both storytelling and characterization. I would definitely recommend Shielded to very young readers, such as those in elementary school, who have an interest in fantasy novels.

Shielded follows Jennesara, princess and magical heir who is betrothed to a prince she does not know. Jenna agrees to go in order to help her land, her brother, and to hide the magic that she is not supposed to have. While on her way to her new home, her party is ambushed and through a series of events, she escapes. Jenna finally makes it to her new land but everyone is now at war, she has to hide who she is, and the soldier who found her is not who she thinks he is.

The book was fine. I liked a lot of it even if I struggled through some parts. The beginning was fast paced and I loved the relationship between Jenna and her brother as well as Jenna and her father. Jenna might be a princess but she trains with the guards and loves every second of it. I love this about her so Jenna is ok by me. I struggled in the middle with everything that was going in because there were a lot of moving pieces and I found it to be a little predictable. I knew something was going to happen before it did. I wasn't mad at it but I just knew. I wish that the magic system was explained a little better since I still have no idea how it works or really why. Jenna figures out a lot by just going to the library and it is wild to me that no one and I mean no one thought it would be a good idea to know more about the enemies they vanquished many years ago. There are stories that Jenna is not told because men but there also aren't others who might be willing to share or something that marks what happened during the great war.

My main gripe is that there were so many characters to keep up with that I barely remember any of them. Aside from Jenna, Ren, and Enzo everyone else is a blur. Even the trio aren't entirely memorable since we don't know much about them. The romance was meh and this is coming from someone who doesn't mind instalove in books. I wish there had been more interactions between Jenna and Enzo full of banter. I am glad that Flanders didn't do Jenna dirty when it came to Ren so yay! Would read book 2.

Side note: Is this Frozen fanfic? Or is that just me?

Shout out to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in advance in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! It had all the things I love in a book, Action, adventure, a strong main character! I read this book so quick and I am so sad it is over. This will be great book for my teen patrons at the library and it would be a good book club. I will be purchasing it for the libraries YA collection.

‘Shielded’ is an action-adventure fantasy with magic and a slow burn clean YA romance. Highly recommended.

Our main character, Princess Jennesara, is easy to like and relate to; she’s strong, skilled at fighting, and compassionate. Far from a powerless damsel, which is a joy to read. Interactions with her peers are delightful; witty banter with her brother, teasing and protective friendships with the Turia royal children, and a slow budding romance with her betrothed. Looking forward to continuing this series!

‘Shielded’ will be available on July 21, 2020. I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.

I’m waffling between a 3.5 and 4 star rating! Slow to get off the ground, but about a quarter of the way in, it got pretty good. Unfortunately towards the end, it got murky with too many betrayals and stupid decisions. It felt very clunky and more editing could have really fixed a lot of that. There was some world building but it could have done with more. All in all, I enjoyed the story and appreciated the clean romance side of it as well.

I was provided with an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored this book. Any fan of Sarah J. Maas will love this story. I read it within a day-and-a-half and it inspired me to create a playlist for it (see blog post). I get fired up when reading about a confident, kick-ass female character - and especially one that carries a sword.

This story sucks you in and nothing feels forced. The characters seem almost tangible as they are relatable and multi-faceted.

Jennesara is determined and loyal and I love the world and magic that Ms. Flanders created. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series!

This was such an enjoyable book. I finished the book within a few days. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed Graceling or Throne of Glass series. There were some worldbuilding in the book, and some well developed characters. I am looking forward to book 2!

*I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

There were so many things to love about this book. The setting was beautiful and explained so carefully. The Wild seemed truly terrifying and magical. There was just enough time in the "before" "Wild" and "battle" settings that the pacing felt true. One thing I was never quite sure about what the magic system. However, I think that is part of what makes this a great first book in a series. It makes sure that we are still looking for the answers to come about how the magic works in this world. I also really enjoyed that characters. Jenna was a great heroine and leader. She had the fear that pushed her on, but didn't leave her cowering. The love interest felt a little forced toward the end, but the trust between them led me to understand how it could develop.

I would definitely look forward to the next book.

Up front, I love a good YA/Fantasy romance. Bonus points if it involves some of my all-time favorite tropes: A princess who isn’t a dainty, delicate flower, a roguish love interest, strong familial ties, mistaken identities and elaborate world building.

Shielded hits each of these notes and more, playing within those tropes we’ve come to expect and flipping a few of them on their heads. Our princess is not one for balls and fancy gowns, she’d rather be in the dueling ring with the guards. Not due to the standard “not like other girls” excuse, but rather in cause of the fact that her kingdom is one filled with warriors and battle. Her people destined to defend the border of their kingdoms against a mysterious threat to the north. Our girl Jenna is a sword-wielding badass out of necessity, rather than a need to stand-out.

Establishing this play on the trope early on, Flanders continues to surprise with the twists and turns of the Halendian world and surrounding kingdoms. Betrayal is imminent and mages lurk in the background spinning lies into the ears of Rulers who really should know better.

Where Shielded truly shines is in its exploration of human relationships, be they romantic, familial or friendly. It is always fun to see siblings in a fantasy setting, and Flanders adeptly proves her understanding of such a relationship as she gives us Ren and Jenna - a brother/sister team balanced on respect, love and no tiny amount of good-natured teasing. Each acts as the foil to the other, and a grounding line to some of the more rash decisions throughout the novel.

Now, if interpersonal relationships aren't the way to entice you, Shielded certainly has enough work put into the world-building to keep one entertained. Through Jenna’s eyes, we are treated to a rich world of peoples and traditions. Halendi and Turia stand apart as neighboring kingdoms crafted to reflect the land and histories of the people Flanders has created. From their everyday attire to the way her characters show affection, she succeeds in fleshing out what otherwise could have risked being a flat fantasy landscape. Peppering the text with colloquial terms (often drawn from real world languages given a nice fictional twist), and unique personalities fed by cultural beliefs and concerns, one believes in these characters as fleshed out peoples. A success not many YA novels can claim.

There also exists a neat balance between the magic systems at play, creating a sense of fairness in the world which keeps any one character from seeming too overtly OP. Where one person may have a magical strength useful to them in battle, another is able to ‘see’ magic in a manner that allows for otherwise non-magical defense. It’s neat, it’s clean, and it keeps the characters relying on each other’s strengths in order to succeed.

There are a few deus ex moments, what book is without them? But even then, Flanders makes it a point for our characters to suffer the consequences of their actions and decisions, no matter how poor or fitting they may be. Not one person bounces back with a laugh and a smile, they groan and shamble until fully recovered. They are haunted by past mistakes and constantly second guess themselves, always asking, “Is this for the greater good?” - an authorial decision that could quickly take Shielded and its sequels from YA to NA status if Flanders carries on as strongly as she’s begun.

If you’re looking for a new series to follow, and hungering for a strong heroine to rally behind, look not further than Shielded and Jennesara.

I've read a lot of truly engaging, innovative fantasy in the last year, and A Sorcery of Thorns was one of those books, so I was excited about the comparison. I figured I'd try this one! It sounded fun! I totally appreciate arranged marriage stuff! It could be awesome!

Sigh. It wasn't awesome. This book was just sort of a cliché slog with a baffling magical system (read: not in the good way), cardboard characters, and a singularly boring protagonist.

The book starts when Jenna, cliché super great fantasy heroine with secret magical abilities that no one can know about, gets shipped off to a neighboring kingdom to marry their crown prince. Halfway there, she nearly gets killed, her father and brother do get killed, and everything kind of goes to hell in a handbasket. Why, you ask? Because it is at this point that everything stops making sense.

There's some kind of mystical forest thing that she wanders around in for an excessive period of time (which makes no sense and never reappears), she kind of stays with some villagers (unclear on why that plot segue was necessary), and eventually finds her way to hanging out with some random soldiers from the neighboring kingdom that is apparently now at war with hers, for completely unclear reasons. (I mean, you'd think the obvious reason would be that the king and heirs to the throne were killed, but it kind of seems like Other Country is just as mad at her country, which makes no sense.)

I'm going to guess that if you have ever read any fantasy literature whatsoever, you can figure out who the solider is - that's right, the prince in disguise! There is a bunch of drama about her hiding her identity, which mostly seems to involve carefully braiding her hair, and the usual "I am a princess but I can defeat all these evil thugs with no issues" trope.

The only redeeming part of this novel (and the reason it earned 3 stars instead of 2) is Jenna's relationship with Chiara and Mari, the prince's sisters. They are so sassy and cute! Mari is THE BEST. You gotta admire a princess who knows every single hiding place in the castle. The several chapters of this book where Jenna is helping keep them safe and hiding in a fireplace are pretty great.

But, in general, this is just too cliché, too slow, and any book that has me constantly going, "Oh god, how much longer until I finish this and can start something else," is not really worth a reread. Solid effort, but I would not really recommend.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.

I really enjoyed Shielded! It harkens back to more traditional YA fantasies that I love: like the works of Tamora Pierce or Sherwood Smith.

Jenna is a plucky, headstrong heroine and it is hard not to root for her. I anxiously awaited the moment she would meet Prince Enzo, and while the twist there didn’t surprise me, I still enjoyed it.

From a pacing perspective, it is a bit slow in the beginning, and it feels like the story doesn’t really start until around the 50% mark. BUT, Jenna is fun to follow and KayLynn Flanders’s writing is eminently readable, so I flew through the first half anyway. Then, the pace picks up and never slows down until the action-packed ending.