A River of Royal Blood (A River of Royal Blood, #1)

by Amanda Joy

Sixteen-year-old Eva is a princess, born with the magick of blood and marrow - a dark and terrible magick that hasn’t been seen for generations in the vibrant but fractured country of Myre. Its last known practitioner was Queen Raina, who toppled the native royalty and massacred thousands, including her own sister, eight generations ago, thus beginning the Rival Heir tradition. Living in Raina’s long and dark shadow, Eva must now face her older sister, Isa, in a battle to the death if she hopes to ascend to the Ivory Throne - because in the Queendom of Myre only the strongest, most ruthless rulers survive.

• ISBN10: 0525518606
• ISBN13: 9780525518600
• Publish Date: 16 February 2021 (first published 29 October 2019)
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 12 July 2023
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc
• Imprint: Penguin USA
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 384
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780525518600

Reviews

[thepunktheory]

Full review on my blog!

I had a bit of trouble really getting into this book. I wasn't hooked from the begging and it took me a while to actually be intrigued by the story. For some reason, I kept putting it down after a chapter or two in favor of some other book. I don't even know why! It's not that it was bad or anything, I just wasn't really drawn in at first.
That being said, after about 1/3 of the novel, I did get excited. The world-building is rather interesting and I was curious to find out more. I still have many questions that demand to be answered though!
While the story is surprising and intriguing enough, I was so annoyed that -again - we have to suffer for a 100% unnecessary love story that doesn't even do anything to further the plot. Let's be real here, that book would have worked just as well with them being friends or whatever.
Why, oh why, does every YA book need to have some sort of love story, no matter how flimsy the plot of it?
I do, however, appreciate the plot twists that come our way. You couldn't tell how this thing would end, so after some initial difficulties, I couldn't put the book down. Obviously, there is going to be a sequel, as most of the questions I have are still unanswered and the world-building - although interesting enough - could really use another round of information.

[Quirky Cat]

I received a copy of A River of Royal Blood through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A River of Royal Blood is the astounding debut novel of Amanda Joy. This is a novel perfect for fans of Children of Blood and Bone, and is as chilling as it is entertaining. Set in magical world, the country is ruled by a magickal queen.
Myre is a country of magick, violence, and multiple species. This is the world that Eva was born into – and the world she might someday rule. That is, if she can beat her sister in a battle to become queen. But doing so would require Eva to embrace her magick – the magick of blood and bone.
Eva's world is forever changed weeks before her seventeenth birthday, when an assassin makes an attempt on her life. That was the night when she realized she had more magick than she had dared to believe. And she doesn't know how she feels about that.

“The smell of salty blood, orange blossoms, and incense filled the air – the scent of the singer's magick. It pulsed through the air, pushing every movement farther.”

Warnings: A River of Royal Blood contains some elements that should be fairly obvious, thanks to the description of this book. Eva's magick is of blood and bone – meaning her magick directly affects the body. Additionally, there is some animal death within this book, but I promise that you can see it coming.

A River of Royal Blood is a dark and deliciously written novel, full of emotional and intense moments. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough with this book, that's how anxious I was to see what would happen next.
Amanda Joy had a brilliant way of writing, introducing us to Eva and the world she was born into. This novel felt like it was heavily character-driven, as everything was pushed forward by what Eva was struggling with or feeling at any given time.
One clever thing Joy did in this novel was how she introduced the lore of the world. It was slowly revealed, bit by bit. But it was done so in sneaky and clever ways. So it never once felt like we were getting an info dump of lore. And I loved that.
The worldbuilding in this story was excellent, but it also left me desperate to see more. I know that there are many other cities and species in this country because they were all mentioned. But part of me really wanted to get a chance to see them. I truly hope we'll get a chance in the next few novels.
My only surprise in this novel was the role in which Isa played. Based on the description, I thought she would have a slightly larger role in this book. But I'm not complaining, as I'm okay with not getting overly attached to her character (when you read the book, you'll understand why I feel that way).
I have so many questions about this world, the characters, and of course, the plot that has been introduced. So, naturally, I'm now quite anxious to get my hands on the next novel in the series (which doesn't yet have a name). Oh well, I'll have to be nice and patient in the meantime.

For more reviews check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks