Briana @ Pages Unbound
Written on Sep 18, 2017
Tilla, the illegitimate daughter of Lord Kent, bands together with other outcasts in an attempt to prevent civil war and protect Lyriana, a sheltered, visiting princess whose life is in danger.
- ISBN10 1484767659
- ISBN13 9781484767658
- Publish Date 8 June 2017
- Publish Status Transferred
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Hyperion
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 352
- Language English
Reviews
Stephanie
Written on Jul 28, 2017
Leah
Written on Jun 5, 2017
Royal Bastards is an incredible read. It’s the first in a trilogy (OH HECK YES I AM HERE FOR THAT) but it does stand-alone pretty well, in that there’s no cliff-hanger ending, or clamouring for the next book, which I’m on board with. I’ll read the sequel, but I don’t need it NOW, which is good since this book isn’t even out yet until June and I’m writing this in March. Phew. I just loved the whole concept of the book - that all the bastards band together to save the world. Okay, not the world, the kingdom, shall I say? That works. For some bizarre reason, at the beginning, I thought Tilla was a boy. I haven’t the foggiest clue where I got that idea, but I eventually cottoned on.
I loved how the plot progressed - Royal Bastards starts off sedate, with the only thing Tilla has to worry about is being legitimized by her dad, Lord Kent. Then one night, at a feast for Princess Lyriana, it all goes to pot. Suddenly Tilla, Lyriana, Zell, Jax and Miles are on the run, with a bounty of their heads, and a war brewing. It just completely blew up, with action afoot, as they all try to get Lyriana to safety, without being captured and killed. Andrew Shvarts has written SUCH a good book, my heart was pulsing, dropping to my stomach many times and seeing Tilla transform from a girl into a woman was out of this world amazing. She really does mature and grow before your eyes, transforming into a badass heroine, to give my girl Celaena a run for her money (I know she isn’t Celaena any more, but I haven’t read that far, OK?!). I also liked the supporting characters - sometimes it feels like the supporting characters are just there to prop up the heroine, but they so weren’t in this case. I was connected to Princess Lyriana, to Jax, to Zell. The only one I didn’t like was Miles. He just creeped me out.
With my knowledge that this is now a trilogy, I’m kinda peeved at Andrew Shvarts for what he did there at the end. I mean WAS THERE ANY NEED FOR THAT? I saw it coming, I just hadn’t guessed all of it, but damn, talk about cold-hearted. Honestly this was Harry Potter and Hedwig or Dobby level of cold-hearted. Other than that, I genuinely loved every page - the friendship, the action, the laughs, the way you felt like you didn’t know the characters at the beginning, but by the end they were family. (MOSTLY.)
I will be clamouring to read the next book as soon as I hear a peep about it. Royal Bastards had a brilliant ending, yes, but I am super, super intrigued to see where the series goes. There’s a lot more to be told - retribution is needed for some things, and I’m so intrigued to see Lightspire, we heard so much about it but didn’t see any of it, in this first book. I loved Royal Bastards, I couldn’t recommend it enough. The world building was incredible, the characters were brilliant, ones you really rooted for, and Andrew Shvarts gave Tilla a fantastic voice, I just loved it. It made me cry, it made me smile, it made me laugh, I just got the whole gamut of feelings whilst reading this book and it was just incredible.
Rinn
Written on May 17, 2017
bookishzelda
Written on May 7, 2017
Tilla is such a great main character. She was born to Lord Kent but is considered a bastard since he was not married to her mother and he choose not to legitimize her. Not yet anyway. She is caught in a limbo of not being owned and not being disowned. Although she lives a good life in the castle and is brought up similar to her legit sisters. She still comes second and doesn’t have the same familial love that they have. Tilla actually shares a greater bond with her half-brother who she shares her mother with. She is caught between two worlds and doesn’t really have a place. Despite having to run for her life, I feel like she really finds herself on the journey. I enjoyed watching her change and evolve. She comes into her own.
I loved Tilla and Jax sibling love. It was one of my favorite parts of the story. I just loved the way that they were close and knew each other inside and out. Complete trust and understanding through their bond. They would do anything to protect the other. It was so nice to see such a strong family relationship, one that was pure and not peppered with lies.
Lyrania was also a really interesting character. She might be a pampered princess but she has such a sharp intelligence about her. She’s very aware of the power she holds and how it can help people and not just the upper crust. I liked how many facets she has that you don’t see right away.
Zell of course is Zell. A Zitochi warrior with his own dark issues. I liked him though, despite him and Jax not getting along initially. I felt like he came around in the guy bond department. I also like how naturally Tilla and him grow closer together.
Then there is Miles. You could tell that he was the most hesitant of the group in the beginning to do the right thing. Despite being a bastard, he has a very close relationship with his mother. So the idea of going against her in any form is very difficult for him. Plus he just wants a good life and he knows it’s only a matter of time before he would have been legitimized so he doesn’t live on that hinge like Tilla. He was okay but I was definitely rooting for Zell and Tilla versus Tilla and Miles. It wasn’t really a love triangle, Tilla was generally more concerned with not dying.
I loved the writing and the plot. It was such a great story and you can always sell me on adventure.
Chelsea
Written on May 5, 2017
Royal Bastards was an unexpected love for me. It caught my eye as soon as I heard about it and it did not disappoint. Sure there was some predictable moments and the plot felt a little flat at some points, but I was addicted as soon as I finished that first chapter.
My favourite part of Royal Bastards is the group of strangers who then turned into friends as they tried to survive together. I love books that don’t just feature a main character but a group of main characters. It also featured some diverse characters without sounding forced! Lyrianna and her family are pointed out for having dark skin and they weren’t cast in a minor role which was great to see! I was also REALLY happy to see that this wasn’t another ‘chosen one’ fantasy. The group of characters really did work together.
Royal Bastards started off sounding a bit middle grade but somewhere along the way it became young adult. Think along of the lines of Harry Potter. It felt younger at the start but grew into an older audience. Same idea here! I was nervous at the beginning because of that but don’t let that stop you!
The only two flaws I can possibly think of was that it was borderline insta-love and that it was much too short. I finished the whole book in two sittings which is great but I think it could have used a little more character development at some points. The romance wasn’t technically insta-love since the characters were on a month long journey, but it felt rushed because of the length of the book I think.
If you’re a fantasy lover then this is an easy option for you. There was a good mixture of humour, romance, and action while still being unique enough to not be like all the other young adult fantasies. It’s going to be a series to watch out for!
shannonmiz
Written on Apr 12, 2017
4.5*
I absolutely devoured this book. The characters were incredible, and I liked that they had to make such hard choices between their families and what they felt was right. They were well fleshed out, and I loved the journey they went on- both mentally and physically. They had to figure out where their loyalties lay, and they had to avoid a lot of people who didn't want them to live to even make that choice.
The adventure part was fabulous, definitely had me on the edge of my seat. The plot moved along at a great pace, and I loved the development of the characters. They started out as a very unlikely group, but they ended up forging relationships and friendships along the way. I loved that the females became close friends, I love a strong female friendship. And I enjoyed the romantic aspects as well!
The way the book was written was wonderfully entertaining, too. There was so much witty banter, and just... fun. While there was a lot of serious stuff going on, the characters still kept a sense of humor, and it made the book so enjoyable to read. Because yes, the stakes were incredibly high, but it was nice to have some normalcy in the midst of it.
Bottom Line: I loved the blend of fun and high stakes, and the fabulous mix of relationships that were explored- familial, friendships, and romance. Definitely a win!
*Copy provided for review
Ashley
Written on Mar 22, 2017
4.5 stars