First, I'd like to thank NetGalley, Random House Children's, and Delacorte Press for providing an eARC copy of this book for my honest review.

This book... broke me. Not in a bad way, either. But... I am shattered nonetheless.

First of all, the description of this book does NOT do the story justice. It's so innocuous and vague, and I get that's what the blurb is supposed to be like, but holy heck, this book is just AMAZING. The cover art is also gorgeous, and I think it depicts Jenna very well! It's got great movement and I think it portrays a sense of action quite well - which is really important for this action-packed story. I should also say that there may be spoilers in this review, though I'll try to keep them to a minimum so that I don't ruin anything for you.

In all honesty, I blew through this book and am planning on giving it a second-read through. I took notes as I read, or at least I tried to. It was so hard to remember to detach myself to take notes on key points of the story as they happened. I was honestly gutted when I reached the end of the book and realized that I'd have to wait for (likely) a year or more for the second book to come out so that I could experience more of the wonderful characters and rich world of Shielded.

I found that as I was reading, there were things that fell into place just as I assumed they would - but where it may have annoyed me in most stories, it didn't here. They were well-written and not overly obvious typical paths that stories like this one take, but there was so much MORE than just those usual tropes.

The characters are well-written, defined in such a way that even the smallest characters have their own personalities. The Author put in a lot of effort into distinctions, little actions that gave each character their own personality and made them feel so much more real. Ren's action of telling Jenna to keep her chin up without using words, Enzo's smiles that makes his eyes dance with mirth, Jenna's constant anxiety about her secret being found. Everyone had some little notion to them that made them feel far more real

The setting is done quite well, as well. It primarily takes place within two kingdoms, but there's mention of a third, as well as a larger continent, but you're not bombarded with information in trying to figure out where things are, or how they all fit together. You just know that there's three kingdoms within the region the story takes place, and the characters venture through two of them.
There's a large portion of the story where you're introduced to The Wild - a magical, enchanted sort of forest where few who venture in ever return. Learning about The Wild, and seeing how it warped and twisted and seemed to think like a living thing just fascinated me. It's a magical place, and you can certainly tell that.

There is magic throughout this book, but it's not overwhelming. It doesn't feel out of place or overly typical or just your run-of-the-mill sort of magic. It all fits perfectly in with the story in a seamless way. The threat of magic was real, and impressive, and you can truly feel the worry that Jenna goes through when she experiences magic in various ways.

Let's talk about Jenna for a moment: Can I just say that I'm so thankful that she's not just a simple, simpering princess? She may start out as a sort of petulant child, but by the end of the story you can tell she's grown - and in a way, I think the reader grows with her. It's an amazing journey that we get to travel alongside and experience. I normally get really annoyed and frustrated with female leads, they always tend to be a little too swayed in certain tropes, but Jenna felt so strong and even in her anxieties she was believable and real to me. She's an amazing character and heroine for this story, but you can't discount Enzo or Ren, either, even if they're second-fiddle to Jenna's amazing prowess.

I'm fascinated with this world, with the characters, with the magic that it holds and how it works. The writing is descriptive and beautiful, and I was able to get vivid and clear pictures of every scene. I never had to stop and question what was going on or how the mood of the story was supposed to be. When things changed, you knew because Jenna knew. Every moment is felt so thoroughly that it's very easy for me to consider this one of my new favourite stories I've read in recent months.

It was likened to Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson, and I can certainly see some things that it holds in common with that book - which was another story that took hold of me, and held on for dear life and left me longing for more when the end came. There's a rich world within the pages of Shielded. The characters bring the world to life in such a way that it's easy for you to believe that you could step out your door and step into that world. To experience the colours and life that it holds.

I'm sad that I can't step into that world, dangerous as it might be.

But I'm patient. I eagerly await the full release of this book, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to experience a vivid world full of adventure with vivid characters and a compelling story. Please read Shielded.

You can thank me later.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Children's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Summary: The kingdom of Hálendi is in trouble. Jennesara "Jenna" has magic, but has kept it a secret from everyone except her brother. He also has magic, but this is acceptable as he is in line to inherit the throne. Jenna's future is simpler, she is betrothed to a foreign king and must continue to keep her secret. But things are not always what they seem, and as she is on her way to this new land, she is ambushed and her future changed. Can she help stop the war, learn to understand her magic, and rise become what she has always wanted to be?

I DNFed this book shortly into it. I felt that, even for a children's fantasy, it was too simplistic. Nothing was left for us to figure out or learn along the way. On page one, we learn about Jenna's crush and her magic, and very shortly after we learn that she want to be a soldier but her father will not let her. Instead she is to marry a foreign king. At that point I knew this story had nothing special to offer me. Also, a large piece of information is happened upon my random chance in the first chapter, something that bothers me as a plot device.

The book cover and summary drew me into the story, and while the authors writing wasn't bad, the subject matter felt unoriginal and the story read like I was being told the information and not learning it along with the characters.

I think that this might be a good book for young 8-12 year olds first being introduced to fantasy, but after that it does not stand up to other books in the genre.

What an amazing start to a series!

This is a story - at its core - about the bitter-sweetness of leaving your childhood behind as you enter into adulthood. It's about the fear, as well as the beauty, of the unknown. It's a story about family, about responsibilities, and about the journeys we take to become who we were meant to be.

For me, this book's strongest point was the characters. Sometimes, it's easy for characters to feel like dolls, putting on a show they believe the reader wants to see. From the first page, I felt like I was entering into someone's life, watching events unfold. The dynamics between the characters felt natural, organic. Jennesara was such an easy character to root for. She was strong and caring; both a princess and a warrior that never felt the need to sacrifice one for the other.

My one critique is that the story felt a bit rushed. Pacing is one of the most common, and unavoidable criticisms for a book. There's a lot that happens, so it makes sense to feel like things flew by just a bit too fast. There were just some events I wish had been given a bit more time, such as the romance. (It's adorable though, so I'll forgive it the minor case of insta-love.) While this was something I noticed, it didn't hinder my enjoyment of the book, so it really is a minor criticism.

Overall, this was a really sweet, enjoyable story and I can't wait to see where the series goes from here.

”Dark triangle tops of evergreens framed the canvas of the sky. The stars were mere pinpricks of light, yet they bathed the world in their glory.”


This is one of my favorite books that I’ve read in a while. Amazing and interesting world building, unique magic, characters that are interesting enough for you to get attached to etc.

Jenesara was honestly a amazing main character. She wasn’t a damsel in distress, she wasn’t full of anger or rage from a troubled past, she was just a bad ass princess who could could saver herself and the people around her.

I felt the romance was well written in the story and it wasn’t a insta love! Which felt right for this kind of story so I was happy about that.

The pacing was fantastic and we I felt the story grasped my attention and interest from the very first chapter. I’m very happy there is going to be more book(s) in this series and this book was a fantastic way to start it off! I highly recommend everyone read this book.

5/5 🌟’s

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-arc. Rating: 4.5

I hate to say it, but I almost stopped this book. I was close to 25/30% in and just not feeling it. It just lacked intrigue and action in the first part. However, once it picked up, I did not let go. It was so unique and different. I loved the magic and artifacts. The Wild was also super cool and interesting. I also fell in love with Jenna’s character. She is so strong and thoughtful; I teared up more than once. I am thrilled to see what happens next, and I cannot wait to own this book myself.

This novel was a great read to start the series, containing action, adventure, magic, romance, and betrayal. It is told from first person point of view, which is Princess Jennesara, who has been keeping a secret for many years and wants to fight in her father’s army. However, instead she gets a betrothal, one she is not happy about but her kingdom needs the troops. Jenna and her brother Ren travel towards Turia, where Ren has his own mission to accomplish but needed a way to l ave without the council knowing, for there is a traitor in their mist. However, Jenna is attacked and escapes in the Wild. There she survives and eventually finds her way to Turia, but keeps her identity a secret. Jenna is leaning more about her abilities and begins deducing the true motives of the evil that wants to destroy the kingdoms. Jenna will have to make sacrifices to save those she loves and those she comes to care for. Surrounded by traitors, there are few Jenna trusts, which could mean all the difference to the evil that wants to destroy them all. Looking forward to the next novel in the series!

The author delivers a rapid-paced, suspenseful, gripping, well-written and perfectly executed fantasy. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time that I ended up staying awake until 2am to finish it!

I can’t highly recommend this book enough!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review: I really wanted to love Shielded, but I felt only one emotion for the majority of the book: confusion. There is so much world building and the system of magic is so unique, which can be hard to come by when YA fantasy is such a saturated genre, but there was so much about the world and the magic that I didn’t understand which made it difficult to follow the story. I loved Jenna as a main character, but I couldn’t bring myself to love any of the side characters because I was too suspicious of them all while wondering who had betrayed Jenna and her family. Overall this was a very unique debut and although it wasn’t for me, I can see it finding a place in the hearts of many lovers of YA fantasy.

Love, Love, Loved this book! For me this was a book where I kept telling myself "okay one more chapter and then I will go to bed". two hours later and I am still reading. I honestly could not put this book down, so without further ado these are the things that I loved about the book and things that will make you fall in love with this book as well:
1)MAGIC, I am a reader that loves me some fantasy and boy does this book have that
2) Jenna, a completely BADASS princess, who is fierce, loyal, and just all around an awesome character
3) Romance, I love some good romance and this book surely has it
4) Enzo, because who doesn't love a completely handsome and dreamboat of a prince that will sweep you off your feet
Now I have only listed four things, but this book has so much more. It is full of adventure, fantasy, heart-filled relationships, and at times heartbreak. I think it is safe to say that there were times where I was stunned, times of sadness, and times where I just could not stop smiling while I was reading. So, to conclude, if you are looking for a book with fantasy, a badass heroine, dreamy princes, and the ability to have you reading for hours, then this is for sure the book for you!