By Sasha Peyton Smith
Harper, 2025. 385 pages. Young Adult
For four hundred years, England has been under the control of an immortal fae queen who tricked her way onto the throne. To maintain an illusion of benevolence, Queen Mor grants each of her subjects one opportunity to bargain for their deepest desire. As Ivy Benton prepares to make her debut, she knows that not even a deal with the queen could fix what has gone wrong: Her family's social standing is in shambles, her sister is a shadow of her former self, and Ivy's marriage prospects are nonexistent. So, when the queen announces a competition for Prince Bram's hand, Ivy is the first to sign her name in blood. Ivy soon finds herself a surprising front-runner—with the help of an unexpected ally: Prince Bram's brother, the rakish Prince Emmett, who promises to help Ivy win his brother's heart...for a price.
Someone recommended this book to me, but I can’t remember who, and I’m so glad they did! I really enjoyed this young adult romantasy. Set in 1840s England, it’s a fun blend of fantasy, romance, a dash of battle royale, all wrapped with a bow of court intrigue. It’s fast-paced and suspenseful, which kept me going after I’d been in a pretty solid reading slump. The worst part about reading this book is that it’s the first in a series, and I read it before the next book’s release! Easily recommended by me, The Rose Bargain is a clever, compulsively readable start to a series that knows exactly how to enchant, and how to leave you wanting more.
If you liked The Rose Bargain, you might also like:
By Kiera Cass
HarperTeen, 2012. 327 pages. Young Adult
America Singer is chosen to compete in the Selection--a contest to see which girl can win the heart of Illea's prince--but all she really wants is a chance for a future with her secret love, Aspen, who is a caste below her.
By Holly Black
Little, Brown and Company, 2018. 370 pages. Young Adult
Jude, seventeen and mortal, gets tangled in palace intrigues while trying to win a place in the treacherous High Court of Faerie, where she and her sisters have lived for a decade.
ACS
No comments:
Post a Comment