sunsetxcocktail

I received a copy from Netgalley.

3.5 stars.

I came across this book browsing on Netgalley, the title got my attention immediately, as did the beautiful cover. (I'm a total sucker for pretty dress covers). The story captured my attention pretty quickly, it was well written and intriguing.

Though I did feel there was an awful lot of similarities to Sarah J Maas's Throne of Glass. (Lost princess, tyrannical king, girl forced to work for said brute of a king, girl's interaction with crown prince, snarky princess friend from neighbouring land king wants to conquer.) (This has been pointed out more than a few times in other reviews) The basics of the plot are almost the same. Even one character's name is almost the same. That did actually knock it down a star for me, really. Too similar for the TOG fangirl in me.

That being said though, I did really enjoy Threat of Sky and Sea, (despite the TOG similarities). I loved the main character Breena. She was a strong, smart girl who did what she had to to survive without being a complete bitch about it. Thrown from her normal life into a new one she never knew about (thanks to some secrets kept by her father) she had little time to adjust to a new world of court secrets, threats and treachery. Where she had no idea who to trust and who was a spy/enemy.

I liked the world building in the fantasy landscape, and I enjoyed the use of elemental powers and the unique way the author worked them into the story. My only real issue regarding Bree and the magic side of things was it took an awful long time to get to what type of elemental power she had. By then the rest of the plot had advanced and everything else sort of happened with a bit of a rush.

It was left at a great cliff hanger.

The narrative was well written, the story telling absorbing, good world building and original use of magic. So pretty much everything I look for in a YA fantasy. A very good read, and really looking forward to finding out where the story is going.

So thank you to Netgalley and Patchwork Press for approving my request to view the title.

Also crosses off a square for my Summer Bingo challenge - A Blue Cover