Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Children’s UK for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Coming from Penguin on 16 March, The Shattered Lands by Brenna Nation is a bewitching tale of a lost princess, a forbidden queer romance, and a magical country divided.
“History is determined by those that hold the quill. The living don’t fear the dead rising to correct them”
When Sapphire finds herself mysteriously transported to a foreign land, she is initially shunned as an outsider and considered a threat. Her violet eyes cause panic and intrigue. She is soon accosted and taken to the Queen and King where her true lineage is discovered – she is the lost princess of Eriobis.
Finding herself as the heir to the crown of a country shrouded in secrets and in possession of powerful magic she is yet to master, Sapphire soon becomes a pawn in a century-long feud that has the potential to destroy the world as she knows it.
Whilst unraveling the secrets of her past, she finds herself drawn to the elusive Ashes, a dark witch that can control shadow creatures with the ability to rip flesh from bone within seconds. Ashes plagues her thoughts and dreams. She is her enemy, her undoing, and an obsession she cannot escape from.
The Shattered Lands is beautifully written and fast-paced. Ashes is a dangerously seductive character that I look forward to learning more about while Saphire is fiercely determined and strong-willed. I adored both characters and the romance that develops between them is alluring and simply magical.
This enchanting story of sacrifice and forbidden love completely blew me away. With little over a month until its release, I’m already craving a sequel. The ending was unexpected and carefully crafted. A fantastic read packed with potential and promise.
The Shattered Lands by Brenna Nation will be released on 16 March, 2023 and is available to pre-order HERE.
