(Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.) 

 

This was an 800+ page book … that simply FLEW by. I had so much fun reading (and heartbreak, and stress, and all those glorious intense feelings most readers delight in). Eri Leigh has a gift for creating simmering tension and seamlessly integrating worldbuilding in a way that wasn’t tedious or info-dumpy at all. The writing was easy to follow and the characterization was great. 

 

I enjoyed each of our 3 main POVs – all adult women. While Marietta feels like the “main” MC, I appreciated the switches in perspectives and rooted for all 3 leading ladies. Additionally, because of the whiplash of court politic moves, it was helpful to watch events play out from the eyes of a variety of characters holding different amounts of power. 

 

Something AMAZING the author did was to create an online treasure trove of resources. You can scan a QR code at the front of the book and be led to a site with some typical tools (pronunciation guide, maps, court roles) but also some fun & creative elements (Pinterest boards for the main characters, playlists ... I think she may add some recipes?). This helped immerse me in the world and was a great reference for new-fantasy-world confusion. 

 

While there is LGBT+ rep (one of the 3 main POVs is gay), the scenes with sexual content were straight. Just as a heads up! 

 

There was one scene that made me roll my eyes a bit when the characters were trying to be sly .. and talking in the worst “code” possible. That was probably the only moment where I took a step back from the action. 

 

The last bit was twist after twist after twist ... and I loved it. 

 

A Queen’s Game doesn’t quite end on a cliffhanger but it DOES leave an opening for followup books. There are so many threads I’m excited to follow! I can’t wait to dive deeper into Eri Leigh’s creative world. 

CW: kidnapping, sexual content, sexual harassment/assault, domestic abuse (physical assault, emotionally abusive relationship), toxic relationship, drug & alcohol use (sometimes without consent), depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, death, confinement, chronic illness.