3.5 stars

Overall this is a pretty good book as far as sequels go. I really loved The Princess Will Save You, it had tons of world building, the characters were well written, and as a whole the storyline was fabulous. The Queen Will Betray you is just missing something, and I'm not quite sure what it is. The writing is still very good, maybe it's the new characters? I don't know. Will definitely complete the series though!

I'm not entirely sure why I requested this because I didn't enjoy the first instalment, and last time I checked it was only supposed to be a duology? Stories sold as a duology and then reformatted into a trilogy are rarely successful in plot pacing and character development. I genuinely forgot which character was which at times and even though I looked up the plot of book one before I started reading this, I had no clue what was happening. I think I picked up this sequel because I wanted the political intrigue and adventure that I missed in the first book, but I was still disappointed. I won't be picking up the third book when it's published.

~Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Tor Teen for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!~

*This is a spoiler-free review, so you can read it even if you haven’t read the book yet!*

"Survive the battle win the war."

My rating: 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

【Note: As I mentioned in my review of the first book here, I do not know the story of The Princess Bride, and my review is based solely on the book.】

Characters

Princess Amarande:
I really enjoyed reading about Princess Amarande in the first book and I’m happy to say that I enjoyed her character just as much in the sequel. She’s everything I’d want in the main character: fierce, determined, clever, loyal, loving, and brave.

Luca:
Luca had a lot more character change in this book and he had his own role aside from being Amarande’s love interest which I really liked. The book mostly focused on the princess, but Luca had his own story too, which later merged with Amarande’s into one.

Tallifer:
I know that Tallifer was one of the supposed “villains” but I couldn’t help but like him. He didn’t seem that evil, and even if he did he was evil in a clever way, which showcased his abilities. Also, he just seemed like a good companion to travel with because he has so much knowledge but he’s also fun to be with. I loved reading his dialogue because was oftentimes he was either being sarcastic or laughing at a joke of some sort. Another thing I like about him was how complex his character was, since in this book we got to learn a lot more of his perspective.

This book was also filled with strong female characters, including Geneva and Queen Inés who were both very clever, powerful, and bold, but also evil, proving that women have the ability to be evil too. Most of their actions were in the name of destroying the patriarchy which I partly liked because it shows why they had to do all these evil things. They were women and therefore not allowed to rule on their own without marrying, and since they wanted power, they were forced to kill multiple people just to claim the throne that belonged to them in the first place.

Plot
The plot is fast-paced without being confusing and it hooked me from the start. There was never a part in the book where I felt confused or wanted to stop reading.

This book focused less on the romance and traveling side of things and more on the adventure and political side, which I really enjoyed. Each chapter brought the plot forward and it was filled with twists and turns which kept me guessing right up until the end. Just when I thought I knew what would happen a new piece of information was revealed giving the readers more knowledge and carrying the story forward in an unexpected yet perfect way.

World-building
The world-building was full of rich details and it made the world seem very real and intricate. Each of the four kingdoms of Sand and Sky had their own customs and features and stories. We didn’t get to see all of this history and culture but we did get enough for the plot to make sense.

Last Thoughts:
The ending was a bit open as if there was more to come and at first, I was worried that would be the end, but I searched online and I found out there will be a third book called “The King will Kill You”!! If you want to check it out, look at this link!


✨ You can find this review and others on my blog here:https://emailsmily.wixsite.com/dragonwingsblog! ✨

The Queen Will Betray You was a great sequel to The Princess Will Save You! There was a lot of great world building beyond that in the first book that allowed for plot expansion. The action was fast-paced and entertaining and I really enjoyed the overall adventure aspect of the story. There is a lot of political intrigue in this book which was super captivating. I didn't mind that this one focused on those politics a bit more than the romance. I really liked the character arcs that occurred and I think this was a fulfilling conclusion overall.
Readers who enjoyed the first book will like this sequel just as much, if not even more!
I'm also in love with this cover which is always a plus!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

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.

The sequel to The Princess Will Save You was good. It wasn’t anything like I expected it to be, however. I thought for sure that this was a duology but the way it ended made me think that it is going to be a series. Anyways, I’m not sure if I liked it more or less than the first book. As I said previously it was very different than what I was expecting. While this book did have some adventure like the first, this one was more political intrigue than anything else. So don’t go into this expecting a lot of action. It just isn’t there the same way that it was in the first.

I do enjoy Henning’s writing, and it held up very well in this book. Henning is always able to compose a cohesive narrative that ties everything in together. Some of the moments and dialogue that were written were obviously inspired from The Princess Bride as well as some other books, but I think that it worked in the long run here. Despite all that, I think that there is a lot to be said for a book which manages to balance dialogue and prose in even amounts like Henning does.

The world building in this book didn’t expand too much. We get to know about a few other kingdoms that are tied in, and through that we also get glimpses of the past. It works well overall as it sets the stage for what happens in this book. My personal preference maybe would have to divided it into parts and put the past section at the beginning. But in the end it doesn’t really matter where it ended up in the book, as it served its purpose.

The characters in this book are almost all the same as last time with a few surprising additions to the cast. To say anymore would be spoilers. But for those looking for romance in this book you won’t find much. Ama and Luca are separated for most of this book, each with their own missions and quests. They meet once or twice, but overall their page time together is probably less than one hundred pages. To go along with that we have several different third person POV chapters, from Luca, Ama and a few new characters. Thankfully as it is in third person it is easy to tell whose POV we’re in. I enjoyed both Luca and Ama’s story, although I didn’t like one part of Ama’s all that much.

The plot in this as I said, was very political intrigue based. Lots of things happening, lots of plot twists and turns that you don’t expect. In the last book you knew who was good and bad. In this book that isn’t nearly as easy to decipher. In other words, don’t trust anyone. I like how the first part of the story in book one carried over through this one all the way until the end. I think that was a well done overarching plot. The rest of this plot still remains similar to book one in fighting for the throne(s). Ama is still fighting for hers, and Ines is trying to get hers. And this spills over into this book, and that’s where things start to get complicated.

The pacing in this I think was fine. I don’t think there was anything wrong with it, but it was slower paced than the first because of the aforementioned political intrigue. It was a well done pacing too, because you wanted to get to the next page and find out the ending of the book.

Overall, I think this was a good book!

I want to thank Macmillan - Tor/ Forge for providing me with an E-arc of "The Queen Will Betray You" by Sarah Henning.

I'm a big fan of beautiful covers and fairytale retellings and "The Princess Will Save You" had both. With its release last year I couldn't wait to read it. When I read it I couldn't wait for the second book to come out. Unfortunately I had to wait a whole year for its release. You can imagine how happy I was when I was provided an E-arc for "The Queen Will Betray You".

Since I just finished the book I was reading I could start immediately with "The Queen Will Betray You". The books are a feminist spin on "The Princess Bride" and I love how Sarah made Amaranda a strong and badass main character and I fell in love with her again in this book. The book picks up right where "The Princess Will Save You" left off. Amaranda and Luca have set up a plan to secure both their kingdoms. But plans never go as they are planned.

The book starts strong and full of action making me fear it would lead into a slump afterwards. But the book is packed with action and keeps you at the edge of your seat. It's the first time I dare to say I loved the sequel more. Most of the book Amaranda and Luca are not together. This results in less romance, but with the hanging treat of a war there is a lot more adventure and political intrigue in the book.

In this book Amaranda is not alone in her quest to prove that a woman can rule on their own. We get power hungry women, who are also frustrated with old rules and habits that hold them down and prevent them from ruling. You understand their frustration and their drive to prove themselves. I loved how this subject was woven into the story and was actually the base of the whole book.

The ending is amazing and thinking it was a duology I was surprised the ending was relatively open. But after some digging I found out we are getting a third book called "The king will kill you"!

I've rated this book ★★★★ (4 stars). "The Queen Will Betray You" will be released on July 6th. 2021.

OUTSTANDING! That’s all I have to say about this book! I fell I love with Amarande and Luca in The Princess Will Save You and I am super excited to have the opportunity to read an ARC of The Queen will Betray You! If you though TPWSY was phenomenal just you wait!! The Queen Will Save You is one of my favourite books! I cannot wait for the third book to come out!!

4/5 stars!!!

Book Review for The Queen Will Betray You by Sarah Henning
Full review for this title will be posted at: @cattleboobooks on Instagram!

This series is marketed for fans of The Princess Bride. I absolutely loved how the author used the story’s premise, but made it her own by having the Princess being the one who did the saving. The first book in the series ended on a cliffhanger. In The Queen Will Betray You, the plot quickly picks up.

This story is full of action and politics (think overthrowing a ruler), but a little lacking in the romance. It’s difficult for me to enjoy a “one true love” romance when it’s between teenagers that aren’t even 18. However, I think this book would greatly appeal to a younger audience (13-17 years old). It’s got everything needed to be a great story, I just wasn’t able to connect to it.

I don't think I've ever read a book with so many twists! The plot of Th Queen Will Betray You moves at breakneck speed and remained brilliantly unpredictable right to the very end!

Like with the first book, I found the romance a bit weak - but with everything else going on it really didn't matter! A story of war and political intrigue where nobody is safe and nobody is what they seem - this book was a joy to read.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book after finishing the first book, however I was pleasantly surprised.

I’m a sucker for romance, so of course I ate up every bit I could get of Luca and Ama. I loved their love. Even though I do wish they had more moments and the romance was a little more.... something. Overall, I did enjoy their romance.

This book focuses a lot on politics, which I surprisingly enjoyed. I feel like it was one of those things that needed to happen in this book, and the author did a great job with it. I love the action and the adventure.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book!

So, big news flash I am one of the very few people who has never read nor seen The Princess Bride (gasp shock) but this duology was so, so captivating.

This sequel was just a good as the first. Full of banter, swoonable romance and hilarious encounters. It also has scenes that tug at your heart.

I found this was a great follow-up to the first and will captivate readers who enjoy both the first and also THE PRICESS BRIDE.

Thank you for the e-galley!

Thanks to the publisher for access to this title in return for a fair review.

After deciding to divide and conquer the things they needed to do, Ama, Luca, and friends are headed out to take back their respective kingdoms, with a final goal of reconnecting very soon. Unfortunately, it seems that everyone else is against them, and they find themselves facing possible war on multiple fronts while also dodging swords, poison, and every power-hungry leader around. Is it even possible for both of them to come out of this alive, let alone get to be together?

This was a great 2nd book to a trilogy. There is plenty of action and twists to keep the story moving. Can't wait for the final installment.

Perfect for fans of Mary Pearson.

What an exciting sequel! The Queen Will Betray You is a romping game of cat and mouse where you’re never quite sure who’s the cat and who’s the mouse.

The story picks up right where The Princess Will Save You left off. Luca and Amarande have devised a plan to help secure both their kingdoms... but of course, when do things every go according to plan?

While there is less romance and angst in this book, there is a lot more adventure and political intrigue. The twists and turns are aplenty and will leave you guessing right up until the end. And there is one character in particular I did not expect to grow fond of, but they turned out to be one of the best parts of the book.

I would’ve liked a bit more from the epilogue, but overall, it’s a fun read and definitely a strong sequel to this duology.

This was a really cute true YA book. A good romance/fantasy option for teens that aren't quite ready for the fantasy romance of Sarah J. Maas, Holly Black etc. Great follow-up to the first novel!

I liked this second book even better than the first. The short chapter style in the beginning works really well to reel you into this fast-paced story and after that, all the action keeps your attention. I liked that we spent less time travelling than in the first book. In this one we are faced with a lot of political intrigue and machinations, honestly the royals in this world are all crazy, and I think the real villain of the story is revealed. I do wish we had gotten more interactions between Ama and Luca, but I understand why we didn’t. I’m really curious to see how they will solve the sort of cliffhanger this book ended in. I also really want to see Ama and Koldo build a relationship with Ferdinand.

Thank you to the Netgalley team at Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing me with an eARC of “The Queen Will Betray You” by Sarah Henning for me to read and give an honest review!

As a sequel to “The Princess Will Save You”, this is probably the first time that I believe the sequel is better than its predecessor. It picks up right where the first book ends, and we are immediately thrust back into the world of the Sand and Sky where our main character, Amarande, her allies, and the love of her life, Luca, are fighting against the patriarchal laws of the land. This book was advertised as a feminist spin on "The Princess Bride", and it certainly did not disappoint one bit, perfectly including important plot devices from the film when given the opportunity. Not only do we have strong female characters, but we also have female characters who rise above and beyond the typically assumed roles of the corrupt, power-hungry, very male kings and princes-- women who then took over those very roles. This is absolutely something that I loved, especially as a feminist book, we were not only given a strong female main character fighting for her right to rule, we are given these power-hungry women, ones who are also frustrated with the patriarchy that has always held them back, as enemies-- proving that a woman can be as equally nefarious as the men. The book is extremely detailed in its world-building and provides well-thought-out political schemes and complicated changing of roles of some of the people involved-- including redemption for a character I did not expect. Overall, this is a fast-paced, action-filled, sequel that truly delivered on all points that it had advertised.

As with the first book, I still haven't read/seen ‘The Princess Bride,’ so I can't make any comments as to how to this compares as a retelling. But coming at this strictly from a YA perspective, this is still a pretty good story. Not amazing, but definitely an improvement from ‘The Princess Will Save You.’

This has everything you could want from a sequel. The expanded world-building allows for the story to become more political and nuanced. There is a greater focus on characterisation, which Luca totally deserved. And the pacing is fast with a very active plot. It's all there, but again it's nothing new to the genre, nothing I haven't read before.

So if you enjoyed the first book, then you will for sure enjoy this, because it's very much the same, but a bit better.

This book was a really fun and enjoyable read and even better sequel to the first. The characters were relatable and had great depth. I definitely recommend it and will be ordering copies for my library.