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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Trigger Warning: mentions of assault.
4.5 stars rounded up.
When you first meet Evan Bright, she's setting something on fire. After that, she's introduced to the world as the King of England's illegitimate daughter. After that, she's being accused of murder. And I loved every second of it.
Part murder mystery, party contemporary, this book tells the story of a girl from a broken home who feels broken herself. Evan struggles to put the pieces of her life together with a family she barely knows, having to learn who she is herself along the way. This book touches on a lot of sensitive topics, but they're handled really well, and I commend Aimee Carter for it all.
The ending itself was good, though I'm still left with questions about certain things (that I won't say because of spoilers). Overall, I definitely recommend this to fans of royal contemporary novels, and I would love to read more books by Aimee Carter in the future.
ARC thanks to Netgalley.
4.5 stars rounded up.
When you first meet Evan Bright, she's setting something on fire. After that, she's introduced to the world as the King of England's illegitimate daughter. After that, she's being accused of murder. And I loved every second of it.
Part murder mystery, party contemporary, this book tells the story of a girl from a broken home who feels broken herself. Evan struggles to put the pieces of her life together with a family she barely knows, having to learn who she is herself along the way. This book touches on a lot of sensitive topics, but they're handled really well, and I commend Aimee Carter for it all.
The ending itself was good, though I'm still left with questions about certain things (that I won't say because of spoilers). Overall, I definitely recommend this to fans of royal contemporary novels, and I would love to read more books by Aimee Carter in the future.
ARC thanks to Netgalley.
So, I had a rough time starting this book, but NO trouble finishing it! And I am thrilled that there is a perfect set-up for future books in a series. I really really dug the story and I especially love the background between the king and Evan’s mother. So sweet and so tender. And though there were some predictable moments or elements, I was still surprised at the big reveal. So that’s cool. I will LOVE having this in the library to recommend next year.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Children’s for the advance Kindle copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for this royal mystery. Evangeline is the daughter of the King of England… and her American mother, who is not the Queen. After her mother’s schizophrenia diagnosis when Evan was four, she was raised by her grandmother until her death. Then her father took over, not physically, but by sending her to boarding schools. When she is kicked out of her ninth school, she has nowhere to go but England, until she turns eighteen. She is received coldly by everyone but the King, especially her half-sister Maisie. When she is sexually assaulted at a party she attends with Maisie and her crew, she learns that after she was rescued her attacker was found dead. Now the search for his killer is on and Evan is fairly sure she didn’t do it…did she? The nature of the assault lends this one best to high school audiences. It also leaves off on a cliffhanger, and I look forward to the second book.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for this royal mystery. Evangeline is the daughter of the King of England… and her American mother, who is not the Queen. After her mother’s schizophrenia diagnosis when Evan was four, she was raised by her grandmother until her death. Then her father took over, not physically, but by sending her to boarding schools. When she is kicked out of her ninth school, she has nowhere to go but England, until she turns eighteen. She is received coldly by everyone but the King, especially her half-sister Maisie. When she is sexually assaulted at a party she attends with Maisie and her crew, she learns that after she was rescued her attacker was found dead. Now the search for his killer is on and Evan is fairly sure she didn’t do it…did she? The nature of the assault lends this one best to high school audiences. It also leaves off on a cliffhanger, and I look forward to the second book.
No question...this was my favorite read of 2025 so far! It had it all...romance, scandal and mystery after mystery to solve. I originally just picked this one as part of a required reading assignment, but you can bet I will be devouring the rest of this series now!
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
fast-paced
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I absolutely loved this YA mystery! I would’ve loved this when I was in high school. Great option for my older students who enjoyed A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.
I'm not the demographic for YA novels, but this one caught my eye. A one-day read and a good palette cleanser. This one really covers the gamut of royals, rich and beautiful people, mental illness, family craziness, sex and young lust. And yes...I'll read the next installment.