The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

Young Kelsea Raleigh was raised in hiding after the death of her mother, Queen Elyssa, far from the intrigues of the royal Keep and in the care of two devoted servants who pledged their lives to protect her. Growing up in a cottage deep in the woods, Kelsea knows little of her kingdom's haunted past . . . or that its fate will soon rest in her hands. Long ago, Kelsea's forefathers sailed away from a decaying world to establish a new land free of modern technology. Three hundred years later, this feudal society has divided into three fearful nations who pay duties to a fourth: the powerful Mortmesne, ruled by the cunning Red Queen. Now, on Kelsea's nineteenth birthday, the tattered remnants of the Queen's Guard—loyal soldiers who protect the throne—have appeared to escort the princess on a perilous journey to the capital to ascend to her rightful place as the new Queen of the Tearling. Though born of royal blood and in possession of the Tear sapphire, a jewel of immense power and magic, Kelsea has never felt more uncertain of her ability to rule. But the shocking evil she discovers in the heart of her realm will precipitate an act of immense daring, throwing the entire kingdom into turmoil—and unleashing the Red Queen's vengeance. A cabal of enemies with an array of deadly weapons, from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic, plots to destroy her. But Kelsea is growing in strength and stealth, her steely resolve earning her loyal allies, including the Queen's Guard, led by the enigmatic Lazarus, and the intriguing outlaw known simply as "the Fetch." Kelsea's quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun. Riddled with mysteries, betrayals, and treacherous battles, Kelsea's journey is a trial by fire that will either forge a legend . . . or destroy her.


I decided to borrow this via audio book from the library because...
1. My new job has added alot of driving time to my everyday routine.
2. I don't have time to sit on the couch and read as I did a month ago.
I still count this as reading though, because audio books seriously take commitment and investment of time, just like a regular book, though I have a feeling like I've "cheated" on those beautiful hardcover/paperbacks... the ones with the pages and the smell of dusty old libraries. *sigh*
Anyway, this book was... interesting. I chose it on a whim. I wasn't super interested in anything the library had up for grabs concerning audio books, but the cover on this one caught my eye. Isn't that how it always starts? For me, if it doesn't depend on the author themselves, the cover art plus the synopsis is what gets me hooked. If I can't read through the synopsis without getting bored, then I don't borrow it.  So, this book is the first of a serious, if I remember correctly. It's written pretty slowly, but with some quicker read parts. Some parts are questionable and some parts make you grimace because it just doesn't make sense. But it's a good story idea. A young queen hidden away for years until she can claim the throne. I think my favorite character in the whole book is the "Fetch", who honestly only gets about 30 minutes of audio book time. Sad. But if I decide to pick up the next one, I would hope to hear more of him. Also... the Red Queen... spoiler alert, but I was super disappointed that Kelsea and the Red Queen didn't actually meet. Ever. At all. So... yeah. I guess if you read it as a series, it'll probably make more sense. I've got a list of books I'm working on so maybe later I'll pick up the next one. 

All in all... 4 out of 10.