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A review by fairytale42
The Uncrowned Prince by Kenley Davidson
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I did not expect to love Vaniell like this. I did not expect his love interest would be so stabby. I did not expect half the plot twists. Color me impressed and also rather emotional about this book.
(Just a note, you definitely shouldn't read this book unless you've read the others that precede it: not much will make sense otherwise, although you'll still enjoy the writing style because it's beautiful and witty and funny all at once. )
With that out of the way, I knew that Vaniell was going to be a fun character, but my goodness, he's so much more than that in this installment. Yes, he's the bad boy prince, but he's also such an absolute cinnamon roll. He needs a hug and someone to tell him that he's loved...and also perhaps some therapy. The author handled his trauma, guilt, and motivations near-perfectly; my heart ached right along with his when he faced troubles again and again while trying to stand up to his father. Oh, and did I mention he's adorably flirty/snarky? This man might be my new favorite Abreia hero, I'm just saying...
As for his love interest, Karreya is most definitely an assassin through and through. She's not very well acquainted with the world, and much prefers to stab first and ask questions later. Her grumpy, blunt personality won me over in time, and although Leisa is still my fave Abreia heroine, Karreya's softness towards Vaniell and her strict moral compass makes her a solid leading lady.
On the plot side, all the action comes to a head here, even though Vaniell and Karreya aren't as in-the-thick-of-it like the other couples were. Loose threads are pulled tight, secrets are revealed, and there are several serious plot twists. (One of which involves tea, and I was very very much worried about it. You'll see what I mean.) Although some of the plot twists were a bit more obvious than I'd expected, I still enjoyed it, and it neatly pulls in details from the last few books. And you get a few cameos, too... ;)
Overall, this book was an absolutely killer follow-up to the last one. I was hooked from the first page, and I loved the dynamic between these two MCs. Eagerly awaiting the next one—4.75 stars out of 5 for worrying me with that one twist. :P
(Just a note, you definitely shouldn't read this book unless you've read the others that precede it: not much will make sense otherwise, although you'll still enjoy the writing style because it's beautiful and witty and funny all at once. )
With that out of the way, I knew that Vaniell was going to be a fun character, but my goodness, he's so much more than that in this installment. Yes, he's the bad boy prince, but he's also such an absolute cinnamon roll. He needs a hug and someone to tell him that he's loved...and also perhaps some therapy. The author handled his trauma, guilt, and motivations near-perfectly; my heart ached right along with his when he faced troubles again and again while trying to stand up to his father. Oh, and did I mention he's adorably flirty/snarky? This man might be my new favorite Abreia hero, I'm just saying...
As for his love interest, Karreya is most definitely an assassin through and through. She's not very well acquainted with the world, and much prefers to stab first and ask questions later. Her grumpy, blunt personality won me over in time, and although Leisa is still my fave Abreia heroine, Karreya's softness towards Vaniell and her strict moral compass makes her a solid leading lady.
On the plot side, all the action comes to a head here, even though Vaniell and Karreya aren't as in-the-thick-of-it like the other couples were. Loose threads are pulled tight, secrets are revealed, and there are several serious plot twists. (One of which involves tea, and I was very very much worried about it. You'll see what I mean.) Although some of the plot twists were a bit more obvious than I'd expected, I still enjoyed it, and it neatly pulls in details from the last few books. And you get a few cameos, too... ;)
Overall, this book was an absolutely killer follow-up to the last one. I was hooked from the first page, and I loved the dynamic between these two MCs. Eagerly awaiting the next one—4.75 stars out of 5 for worrying me with that one twist. :P
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment and Grief
Minor: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood