Realm of Knights: Knights of the Realm, Book 1 (Knights of the Realm #1) By Jennifer Anne Davis [Review]

RELEASE DATE: September 10th 2019 
AUTHOR: Jennifer Anne Davis
GENRE:     Young-Adult,  Fantasy, Adventure, Romance.
PUBLISHER: Reign Publishing
SUMMARY:

Reid has spent her whole life pretending to be a man so she can inherit her father’s estate, but when a chance encounter threatens to expose her lie, she is forced to risk everything.

In the kingdom of Marsden, women are subservient to men and land can only pass from father to son. So when Reid Ellington is born, the fifth daughter to one of the wealthiest landholders in the kingdom, it’s announced that Reid is a boy.

Eighteen years later, Reid struggles to conceal the fact she’s actually a young woman. Every day, her secret becomes harder to keep. When one of Marsden’s princes sees her sparring with a sword, she is forced to accept his offer and lead her father’s soldiers to the border. Along the way, she discovers a covert organization within the army known as the Knights of the Realm. If Reid wants to save her family from being arrested for treason and robbed of their inheritance, she will have to join the Knights and become a weapon for the crown.

To protect her family, Reid must fight like a man. To do that, she’ll need the courage of a woman.

*I received an eARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

This was a typical YA fantasy but I still enjoyed reading it because I love reading books with this theme where a girl disguises herself as a boy. Although I had issues, I had fun reading this book. Reid was a pretty likable character but I honestly didn’t enjoy her infatuation with one of the characters. It was too insta-lovey and too rushed. I’m glad it didn’t worked out in the end because it was totally meh.

Reid was a fierce and stubborn  heroine who was raised as a son since she was born. In her kingdom, inheritance should be passed down to the son but not to the daughter and breaking this rule is a treason. Reid’s pretty skilled in sword fighting which her father is reluctant to acknowledge. When her secret  gets discovered by one of the Marsden’s Prince, she’s forced to choose between working for them or getting tried for the treason. Well, I really enjoyed Reid’s character but I wouldn’t say she was my favorite either. She was fun and totally kickass. Even though she’s reluctant to work for the princes, she does loves the adventure and the freedom it brings. I admired her friendship with her close friends  who’re also her father’s soldiers. There isn’t much romance in this book but I’m hoping there’s going to be more in the sequel. I was a bit annoyed with Reid’s attraction to the broody prince Gordon who never gave  much attention to her. There’s not many interactions between them but suddenly they have feelings for each other and it seemed very awkward. I’m so glad it didn’t worked out. I totally approve of the cocky prince Ackley and the new character we get introduced in the second half. I’m always ready for a good hate to love romance.

The plot was partially predictable but there are some interesting twists that made it an enjoyable journey. I liked the secret society of knights concept. The pacing was good but some parts seemed rushed. I never felt the need to skip the pages. The writing style was simple and easy to understand. The book was written in third person perspective. The world building was decent. It was a medieval style setting and there’s no magic. I really want to explore more of the Axian Kingdom.

Overall, this was a nice start to a new YA fantasy series. There’s adventure, politics, friendship, a dash of romance, and a little bit of women empowerment.  The book concludes with an interesting twist and  I can’t wait to know what happens next.

Recommend it?
Yes

If you loved the blurb or if you’re looking for an entertaining YA fantasy with less complex plot then definitely give it a shot!

MY RATING:

[3.5/5Stars]

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So, What do you think of this book? Have you read this series yet? Do you Plan to read it?
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