This book is very hard to review. It was very well written and the story was fast paced and full of action. The ending was quite a shock, something I had a sneaking suspicion about but never would have guessed the entirety of. Some characters were likeable and some were loathsome but overall they were rather flat. I could not feel the depth of any one character and most of the time I felt like I was watching the story happen instead of feeling immersed along with the characters. I really liked the story though, it was told well and kept me interested even though I wasn't really invested. All in all I look forward to reading the next book and find out what the future holds for these characters. ( )

I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for a review.

When I first started reading this book, I thought it was familiar. We have a teen heroine trying to overturn the established government, and she also happens to be good with a bow and arrow. Even the cover photo shows that. Then she gets dolled up for a big banquet.Didn't they just make two big budget movies about this? But then as I started reading it, I realized it wasn't that at all. It's told in 1st person from the heroine (Hedy's) point of view. This seems to be the trend in YA novels. Her family is killed in a brutal attack, and she is captured and becomes part of the rebellion. She and her companions travel to the kingdom, where she has to get close to a prince. The plot is full of twists and turns, and sometimes it can be easy to get lost in all of the details. You never quite know who's who and what side they're on. But then, neither does Hedy. This is why it was a bit jarring to have the epilogue in 3rd person. I didn't understand the switch, and I thought it weakened the book. It definitely keeps you engaged. The subtitle, Talmassa Chronicles, implies that there will be more books in the series. I look forward to reading them. ( )