Book Review: The Caged Queen by Kristen Ciccarelli

Release Date: September 25th, 2018
Read: January 14-18th, 2019
Publisher: HarperTeen
Series: Iskari, #2
Format: Signed Hardcover, 400 pages
Source: Bought

Description from GoodReads:

Once there were two sisters born with a bond so strong that it forged them together forever. Roa and Essie called it the hum. It was a magic they cherished—until the day a terrible accident took Essie’s life and trapped her soul in this world.

Dax—the heir to Firgaard’s throne—was responsible for the accident. Roa swore to hate him forever. But eight years later he returned, begging for her help. He was determined to dethrone his cruel father, under whose oppressive reign Roa’s people had suffered.

Roa made him a deal: she’d give him the army he needed if he made her queen. Only as queen could she save her people from Firgaard’s rule.

Then a chance arises to right every wrong—an opportunity for Roa to rid herself of this enemy king and rescue her beloved sister. During the Relinquishing, when the spirits of the dead are said to return, Roa discovers she can reclaim her sister for good.

All she has to do is kill the king.

Review:

   What are souls, but stars waiting to be born?

   I read the first book in the Iskari series, The Last Namsara, a little after it released. Unfortunately, it didn't connect with me as much as I had hoped, but the magic and new take on mythology had me captivated enough to pick up The Caged Queen a year later.

   The Caged Queen picks up right where The Last Namsara left off, but with a new prospective. Roa, our protagonist, played a minor role in the first book but now takes center stage with the sequel. 

   My first thought when reading The Caged Queen was that, it's not a young adult book. There are times in publishing when you get the limbo ages of teens, usually round ages 18-21, that get stuffed into the young adult category because of the ages of the characters, or because of the story. The publisher does this because they think that the audience would be better suited than in Adult, as the New Adult category isn't well established. That was the case with The Caged Queen. 

   With the book focusing on characters 18+, dealing with pregnancy and some mildly descriptive sex scenes, I want a New Adult category to be an official thing exactly for books like this. 

   Moving on from the book not being YA, I absolutely adored it. The Caged Queen captivated me in a way that The Last Namsara never did. Although the book didn't focus on dragons as much as the first book did, I loved the ghost and haunting myths that Ciccarelli created for the story. The world building in the Iskari series is so astounding that you can't help but become lured into the breathtaking world. 

   The Caged Queen blew away any expectations I had, and left me needing to hear more stories from the Iskari world. I'll be counting down the days until The Sky Weaver.

Rating:

Favourite Quote:

"Like a sailor who needs the heavens to find his way home, you were my own star, burning in the night. Helping me find my way."

Recommend to People Who Enjoy:

New Adult, Fantasy, Folk Tales, Storytelling, Kings, Queens, Royalty, Dragons