This was such an upgrade from the the first book. From page one I enjoyed it so much more and was more interested in the story. In contrast to the first book, I really enjoyed seeing new character perspectives, as it really gave the story more depth.

This book constantly kept me guessing and on my toes. I liked some characters that I thought could never like (Taillefer I'm looking at you) and unfortunately some of my predictions came true (again, Taillefer, looking at you! ).

The questions I had after the first book were (mostly) answered, and some weak plot points were made stronger. I really liked the open ending of this book, and I'm excited to see where the next book will take us!

Regarding Amarande and Luca, their story was much more believeable in this book.

All in all, I wasn't sure until the very last page that I succesfully predicted some of the plot twists and that made this book so good!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me access to an advance copy!

Unfortunately I felt the potential the first book had did not carry through to this one. As the main cast of characters was split up for much of the book, there was a lot of repetition of information/discoveries as we witnessed these events from multiple perspectives. I found Luca's plotline the least interesting of all of them, though I didn't feel connected to any of our cast. The villains' motivations in particular seemed quite weak - mostly focused on gaining power/revenge - and I didn't think there was much tension as to where we would end up at the end of the book. The cringe dialogue especially for Taillefer unfortunately also was present in this one, and at times the story would grind to a halt for Taillefer and Amarande to have a conversation (presumably referencing The Princess Bride in some way). And as I found in the first book, any reveal that you thought there would be more to sadly did not deliver, and instead attempts to foreshadow or hint at what was to come gave too much away for twists to be exciting.

Maybe if you were a new reader of YA Fantasy/Fantasy Romance you would enjoy this more, but I just found it too predictable and full of scenes that felt like they were just padding out the story. It needed more stakes, more character development for both the villains and the protagonists, and I think it would have benefitted from either being shorter or just being 1 book instead of 2. I found myself skimming from page 200 until the end because I wasn't involved enough to commit to another 170-odd pages. At times modern language like "owned" was used, or "literally" was also repeated often, and I think these writing choices pulled me out of the story, especially as most of the time people spoke quite formally/old-timey. Unsure if it will end up in the final version, but I think something lacking from the first book was a map! I would have loved to see the kingdoms visually especially as so much travelling was happening.

This was a solid sequel to The Princess Will Save You! While I did like the first one better, this was a great continuation. In the first book, I really enjoyed the comparisons I could make to The Princess Bride and while there were some things in this one I could pick out that were from The Princess Bride, it wasn't the actual plot like the first one.
In the first book, there were some things I didn't really like about Amarande, but I thought she really grew in this one and was a much more enjoyable character overall. Luca was still a little bland, but I still liked him. I think my new favorite character was Talleifer. He was so snarky and morally grey and had such great banter with Amarande. You never knew what he was going to do or who's side he was on. Speaking of not knowing who's side people are on, Geneva was a great surprise to me but I won't say why. Her, Ines and Domingu were so conniving and sneaky and smart, they had a great kind of side plot.
There was a lot of political stuff in this book which I don't usually like (completely personal!) and I didn't love in this book, but it was tolerable because what the political stuff revolved around just really had my interest. I really wanted to know how everything was going to turn out. Like I said, I thought the current rulers had a great (very political) side plot that really tied in nicely to what the main characters were doing throughout the book. Both Amarande and Luca had their own separate plots and I was just waiting for them to find their way back to each other, but they were both interesting and different plots and I was excited no matter which plot I was currently reading.
I do believe that there will be another book in this series and I can't wait to read it!

The plot of this duology was really building up, only to have an unsatisfying conclusion. Unfortunately I did not enjoy The Queen Will Betray You as much as the first book, and found it rather lackluster. While I do love plot twists, my biggest criticism was that there were too many in this novel, and the author did not stick with one plot line. Additionally, I wish the characters would have had more time to interact. Overall, the series was fine but nothing extraordinary.
Positives:
- The main characters had some really fierce moments that excellently drew readers into the action.
- While I did criticize the overuse of plot twists, some of the surprises were very good at keeping the story going.
- The world building in the novel was done well, and it was easy to comprehend.
Negatives:
- As I said in the beginning, the plot twists would whiplash readers from one story line to the other. At times it became confusing and frustrating to be bombarded with new information and surprises.
- There is very little insight into what the characters are thinking or feeling. I want to know their thoughts, their reactions, their hurt, but I only felt detached from them.
- The characters spent very little time together, therefore making the romantic connection feel barely existent. The main characters’ love is a driving force in the story, but it was not displayed enough. This made the conclusion feel unsatisfying and left more to be desired.
- The world building was good, but it would have been enhanced by the addition of a map.
Kingdoms of Sand and Sky Duology
Overall rating: 3 stars

Thank you NetGalley and the publishing company for this arc!

"A wise pirate once told me love is the most powerful force on earth."

Like wow. A superb sequel in Kingdom of Sand and Sky duo! Or series? There's MORE right? Readers crossing their fingers waiting for a response like...


To be together forever, Ama and Luca must part. INTERNALLY SOBBING.

"I love you. Our time apart will not change that."
"I love you too, Ama. Always, Princess."

SWOON.


The Queen Will Betray You is action packed (hello, anxiety, old friend). A jaunt into the Torrent! The story is also romantic and undoubtedly noble. And FULL of secrets. Henning's characters are clever, confident, and malicious. They are also brave, strong, heroic, and fight for the good of the Sand and Sky. I was fully entertained! I'm here for more Ama and Luca!! Did I read The King Will Kill You?? BOOK THREE?

READ IF YOU LIKE:
-The Princess Bride vibes
-A merry band of pirates
-a handsome stableboy
-newfound family
-patriarchy & regicide
-"survive the battle, see the war"
-power hungry women
-#IsThisAKissingBook: As Luca would say, "Always, Princess." And, "He cradled the sides of her face, then leaned in and planted a kiss to her brow."

Thank you Tor Teen for an advanced copy!

Song: Save You Tonight by One Direction

Thank you to Tor Teen and netgalley for this e-arc!

“The Queen Will Betray You” is the “princess bride meets Game of thrones,” and the sequel of “The Princess Will Save You.” i’ve been looking out for this sequel since i finished the first book last year and was so excited to see it was available here!

since i read the first book almost a year ago, i had to refresh my memory on what happened at the end of TPWSY. the beginning of this was definitely a little slow for me; maybe it’s me slowly growing out of YA books, but i still wanted closure with this series, along with the fact that i am definitely a romance motivated reader. Having Amarande and Luca be separated for most of this book definitely made this drag a little in my opinion.

aside from that, the ending was really sweet and it was a good way to conclude this series.
although this may not have been exactly what i have been expecting, it was still a solid sequel, and i wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this to an audience that leans more towards teenagers.

Beginning right where The Princess Will Save You leaves off, The Queen Will Betray You is an action packed sequel. And I would like the next one now because OMG. The Queen Will Betray You balances action that propels the plot forwards in an explosive way. I am also so glad that this duology is getting a sequel because the world just opens up throughout this book. The multiple viewpoints allows readers to witness the struggle and conflicts unfolding over countries, the betrayal and the deceit.

With The Princess Will Save You, The Queen Will Betray You has fantastic "Princess Bridge" references that I absolutely loved. While the action swept me off my feet, I loved the ways Henning illustrates the sexism that underpins the action. Plus Ama is just such a dramatic, brave, and good hearted heroine. Don't even get me started on the cinnamon roll of Luca! The Queen Will Betray You also examines truth and perception. The ways time and stories can be twisted to fit nefarious purposes.

*Review to be posted on my blog on 6/30/21*

In this sequel to The Princess Will Save You, the political chess continues! Ama and Luca are separated throughout most of this story but they reunite near the end. Amarande has really uncovered a lot of secrets about her family, some good and some bad. Luca also learns more about his past. They achieve what they planned to do and maintain their sweet love for one another throughout because it’s true love! The Princess Bride fans will know what that refers to!

Now the person I thought was the most intriguing in this story, which surprised even me because he’s a villain, is Prince Taillefer. He did some vile things to Luca and obviously he’s in it for his own gains but he had no qualms playing the long game to get his kingdom even if it was against his own mother. That whole family was pretty toxic but as a character, he was the most fascinating.

There is a lot of action in this sequel, especially towards the end and that was fun to read.

Random Notes:
Triggers: violence, death

The Warlord in this sequel is brutal and quite unexpected because for the most part it reads like a light young adult fantasy novel (to me at least). I welcomed the brutality from the Warlord just to lend the story some intensity but yeah, it definitely showed the depths the Warlord was willing to go to show her power.

Speaking of warlord, there are a lot of villains and political intrigue in this story. I thought it definitely kept the story moving as we uncover betrayals and personal motivations from the players in this fight for kingdoms. Not even blood ties can keep you safe, like in the case of Prince Taillefer and his family. Who can really be trusted? Even Ama and her own mother had history to deal with.

Final Thoughts:
Ama and Luca get their true love moment and even Prince Traillefer gets his way in the end . It leaves everything fair and square and the bigger villains vanquished. I think as a duology it was fairly enjoyable, with some parts that resembled The Princess Bride. I found the villains fascinating and the love story sweet. Overall, if you like political intrigue and a dash of true love – you may enjoy this one.

It’s a solid ya girl power fantasy. Amarande is plucky and Luca is a likable enough love interest. I think I would have liked this one better as a teen. Some YA books are perfectly readable as an adult. The characters just happen to be young and they aren’t going to be super raunchy or violent…. This one didn’t quite hit that mark and that’s fine! I’d still hand it to a teen girl who liked fantasy without hesitation.

This retelling has my heart, that’s for sure—appealing to both the romantic part of me that grew up watching the Princess Bride and the action-hungry fantasy reader.
After finally finding each other again, Amarande and Luca must part to each reclaim their rightful kingdoms. But powers that have been playing this game for much longer than they realize have a hand in the pair's destiny--putting both the lovers and the entire Sand and Sky at risk for a monopoly residing in ruination. Betrayals lurk on every corner, and an ending where every kingdom is at peace seems utterly impossible. As always, though, true love must prevail...
The portrayal of the power-hungry queens attacked gender norms, making the book live true to its title. However, the plot felt blurry and unclear in comparison to Amarande and Luca’s thoughts. Inasmuch, I also think that Luca reacted differently than his a person of his character would have in accepting his newly appointed role from the end of the last book as the Otsakumea; he seemed to blindly go along with it, without taking a single moment to realize the gravity of the bridge between going from humble stableboy to long-lost king. The squeal scale was roughly a 4/5–purely because of the adorable romance and Princess Bride references, though if you haven’t watched the Princess Bride, it wouldn’t take away from your experience of reading this series. My other thoughts are that this didn’t really NEED to be a trilogy, though the character arcs in TQWBY were certainly intriguing. Ferdinand in particular had an interesting character mainly because of the value he places on honesty—but I think more depth could have been added to his character in addition to that, and I look forward to seeing him more in the next book! Overall? I really enjoyed it, and am on the edge of my seat waiting to see how Amarande and Luca’s story wraps up in the final book. :)

This was such a good sequel. I'm going to be honest, I requested an ARC of this one before I had read the first book, just because I had been hearing about how good the first book was. Once I got accepted for the ARC of the sequel I binge read both of them in a weekend and I am so glad I did because it was such an awesome story. I loved that The Queen Will Betray You focused more on the adventure side of the plot and was able to keep me captivated throughout the book. The characters are relatable and interesting, and I am happy to report that I don't dislike any of them (except the ones you are supposed to) but there was none that I found to be written poorly or downright annoying. That could normally ruin a book for me. All in all this is a new favorite series for me.

Thank you to Tor Teen for this eARC!!!

I thought book one started really slowly and then picked up in the middle. By the end I was hooked and gasping out loud.
This book started much better and had me on the edge of my seat the entire time! I hope there is another book even though I enjoyed the ending.
Don’t give up if you’re bored starting book 1!!!

The Queen will Betray you is the next book in the series and while I really enjoyed the first book, The Princess will Save you, this one just didn't hold my attention until over half way through. There were many, many twists and turn in the plot there were also so many, oh they are captured again, oh and yet again. I liked getting to read the background on more of the key villain players on how their past formed them into who they are in the present story. I will be reading the third book as I must see how this craziness ends.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

First of all -- Special thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

The Queen Will Betray you is a wonderful sequel to The Princess Will Save You.

I really loved the development of Princess Amarande and Luca as individual characters and their relationship. Princess Amarande is a strong, fierce, and loyal character. I also enjoyed that we got to see more of Luca is his own storyline in this book.

The Queen Will Betray you was a fast paced novel filled with action. I love books with a strong female lead and this one definitely delivered. This book left me wanting more and I can't wait to read the third and final book in this trilogy.

Thank you NetGalley for sending this arc for an honest review!

Now I don’t want to be to spoilery because I know many people like fantasy and especially this book. So without being too spoilery here’s what I will say. If you liked the first book the second is even better. The love between the MCs is just so pure and adorable a lot better than what we were given in the first book. As for the plot twist my oh my.

Now I’m a huge fantasy love so the writing in this book was just immaculate and per usual makes it feel like poetry.

Where to start?! This series by Sarah Henning is a worthy ode to The Princess Bride and the world she has created is cunning, intense, and enjoyable to read about. The Princess Bride being one of my all-time favorite movies I was excited to pick up the first book in this series and soon fell in love. I was itching to get my hands on the second novel the moment I finished The Princess Will Save You. Henning’s story has a lot of moving parts so the first 3-5 chapters I felt like I had to catch up or flip through Book 1 to remember who or what is being discussed. The upside to the many moving parts is that there is always something going on and it keeps you interested and wanting to turn the page. Henning’s writing is incredible and the characters she has penned are as well. She writes them distinctively and seeing the growth of each of them was one of my favorite parts of this series. While we are discussing characters, we also have to discuss villains. Henning’s series is filled with a ton of “villains”, but they are such complex characters that it is not simply good versus evil, and this complexity of the characters keeps you constantly on edge ad unsure of what to think and I LOVE that in a novel.
The Queen Will Save You is the second book in the Sand & Sky trilogy and while there was a lot of setup in book one, book two is filled with a lot of background on the way Sand & Sky Kingdom was before the start of book one and we get extensive knowledge on the lives of the adults in the story, a lot of explanation of why things are the way they are. In many young adult novels, we see a lack of adults and here that isn’t the case and Henning uses the adults in a really enjoyable way and not just as side characters or motivation but as true and complex characters. I think one of my favorite things about this story was how it read like a young adult novel. In YA fantasy it's hard to find characters that read like their age, but Henning’s teenagers while still having to deal with a lot of things teens don’t have to deal with read their age. They are pirates and princesses, princes and stableboys, but they are kids and teenagers and they made many of their decisions in light of that. Henning’s second book is just as wonderful as her first and I cannot wait to read the third book of the trilogy, The King Will Kill You in 2022.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. *

Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan for proving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I do not have many thoughts on this book, except that it was a little bit better than the Princess will save you. The writing style was much more pleasant and easy to get into and the plot of the book had a nice flow, although it was anticlimactic for a large portion of the story. I think that this book(and series)is really for a younger audience, as I found it was more enjoyable than book 1, but still was not on the same level of entertaining as other books of the same retelling.

This book picks up right where we left off, and explores the plot twist that we were thrown at the end of TPWSY! I really enjoyed this decision as it makes the transition between books really easy and helps with remembering what happened last!

Again, the book cover is so beautiful and I can see how it may be a book you buy purely to have such a beauty on your shelf!

The character development was very minimal in my option, and could have been expanded and drawn out more to give the reader a sense of connection with each of the characters.

Again, thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan for giving me the chance to read this book early!

thank you netgalley and the publisher for the arc for an honest review:

3 stars

I thought this was a great sequel to the first book. Sarah Henning did a great job on expanding on world building, more development on the political side but not as overwhelming as in the first book, and great character arcs.

I liked the fast paced, but it was hard for me to keep up since the writing style isn’t exactly my favorite. Also, I felt like even with the fast paced, there were some moments that felt really rushed. I like how in this book it allows Luca to do the rescuing, as Ama did it in the last. I also liked the development in their relationship. I liked seeing how much they love/care for each other.

Overall it was good book, not exactly my taste, but it had a lot of my favorite tropes. There are some factors that did make me question if I wanted to pick up the third book.

Thank you so much to Tor Teen for providing me with an E-ARC of The Queen Will Betray You. Thank you for giving me the chance to read and review this book. This review will be posted on my Goodreads, My Blog and Instagram by July 6, 2021. I will also be publishing this review on Amazon Canada, Barnes & Noble and Indigo Canada.

This review is hard for me to write. I do not hate this book, but neither do I love it. It is more along the lines of this wasn't my cup of tea. I'm sad that this book didn't jibe with me.

As far as YA Fantasy books go, this book is a great addition to the genre. Henning does a wonderful job at bringing the world of the Kingdoms of Sand and Sky to life. She does an excellent job at weaving all the story and plot lines together.

One of my favourite things about this series is Ama's & Luca's love. I like that, for Amarande, there is only one person she truly loves. As readers, we don't have to worry whether Luca is an end-game or not. They are so devoted to one another that it is cute. Their pure devotion for one another makes me root for them as characters.

I love all the side characters!! I also enjoyed getting to know the new characters. Likewise, I'm still not a big fan of Amarande's council (haha). I also appreciated seeing more of Taillefer's personality.

The characters, I felt, talked more about the action than there being a lot of action in this book. Therefore, I felt, for me, this story was slow in pace. Also, while multiple POVs made sense for this story, I wasn't a big fan of them.

The main reason I gave this novel three stars was the ending. I wasn't a big fan of what happened at the end of The Queen Will Betray You. I will not spoil anything, but I felt one character got a short straw in character development.

Overall, I'm curious to see how book three will wrap this series. I love the characters, the romance and the world-building. The author does a great job at weaving all the storylines together. If you're a fan of book one, then I recommend picking up this book.

This was an enjoyable sequel to one of my favorite 2020 reads. The cast expanded, the stakes rose. I have to admit I didn't connect as well with something in the story this time around...the characters, the writing? I'm not sure. But overall, I'm glad I took the journey with our fiery princess and her cinnamon roll dear Luca.