Review--The War of Two Queens by Jennifer L. Armentrout

 

From the desperation of golden crowns…

Casteel Da’Neer knows all too well that very few are as cunning or vicious as the Blood Queen, but no one, not even him, could’ve prepared for the staggering revelations. The magnitude of what the Blood Queen has done is almost unthinkable.

And born of mortal flesh…

Nothing will stop Poppy from freeing her King and destroying everything the Blood Crown stands for. With the strength of the Primal of Life’s guards behind her, and the support of the wolven, Poppy must convince the Atlantian generals to make war her way—because there can be no retreat this time. Not if she has any hope of building a future where both kingdoms can reside in peace.

A great primal power rises…

Together, Poppy and Casteel must embrace traditions old and new to safeguard those they hold dear—to protect those who cannot defend themselves. But war is only the beginning. Ancient primal powers have already stirred, revealing the horror of what began eons ago. To end what the Blood Queen has begun, Poppy might have to become what she has been prophesied to be—what she fears the most.

As the Harbinger of Death and Destruction.

Well, it took me ages, but I finally read Jennifer L. Armentrout's The War of Two Queens! While I do enjoy Jennifer's books immensely, I always feel overwhelmed starting on her fantasy books because they are so long, which is nice, but when you're a slow reader, it makes it very daunting! I will try to keep this one short since I'm one of the last readers in the world to read this one! Lol.

We pick up where we left off with Casteel being a prisoner of Isabeth, Poppy's birth mother. Things are not great. Casteel has grown weak and risks losing himself to bloodlust if he doesn't feed soon, but he doesn't trust Isabeth at all. He's meant to be a lesson for Poppy and Isabeth is not above torturing him to just to get at Poppy.

Meanwhile, Poppy is determined to end the reign of the Blood Crown. She plans to take out Isabeth's followers one by one if she has to and will do whatever it takes to rescue Cas. Poppy is also adjust to her new abilities which is an experience of its own. She has a lot to learn and not nearly enough time to learn it all without having to do immediate battle, but she is a very determined young woman and woe to any who stand in her way.

While a decidedly thick read, this book is pretty well paced. Yes, there were some things that I felt like got drawn out a bit too much, but again, I chalk this up to my being a slower reader. Also, trying to read this series in a car--not recommended! Lol. But despite a bit of issue with pacing, I did pretty much enjoy every other second of this book.

There were quite a few bombshells in this one too! We learn quite a few life altering things and no one will be the same afterwards. What it will mean for the future has yet to be determined as we're still a ways away from the conclusion. It is definitely going to be a game changer, that's for sure.

It wouldn't be a JLA fantasy novel without some romance. I guess with this new Romantasy genre, this series definitely fits the bill. Romance is apart of the story, but it's not the central focus. Nothing can keep Poppy and Cas apart, so it stands to reason that there will be plenty of kisses and reunions within this story! And I finally did get to read the part that I have seen numerous fan art for and it all makes sense now! Lol. This is what happens when you are books and books and thousands of pages behind!

All in all, I will say that this was a fun read! Long, yes. If I didn't have to work all day, I would so be caught up in this series, but alas, I am still dreadfully behind, especially with another book coming out this year. There are some authors I swear who never sleep and Jennifer L. Armentrout is definitely one of them! Not much more to say about this one other than I am sorry I took so long to read it!

Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars