I admit. I wanted to read this book based on the GORGEOUS cover. So, when the Dutch Harper Collins decided to translate this series, I was enthusiastic. I saw it in English at a lot of places, so I thought such a popular series must be good, and just look at them and oh one happy camper.

And then I started reading.

it is not that it is really bad or something. But is is so extremely average and mainstream YA fantasy. You can play bingo with it.

* Girl without powers who manages to do something the army tried to fo for 16 years. (This is not a spoiler, this is really early in the book.)
* Handsome guy
* Forbidden/impossible love, she loves him, she is like a sister to him
* Uberbad guy who is at war with well everyone
* Kingdoms with names of seasons with capitols with names of months, how hard is it to make something up?

Spoiler

* Love triangle, including boys walking around without shirts on.
* Forbidden love realizes he has loved her ever since they were kids, as soon as the other guy is in the picture
* Arranged marriage
* Betrayal everywhere
* people who were dead turned out not to be dead
* she saves the world

(you can open this spoiler if you don't plan on reading this, and you will see how more average and non-original and this is.)

And I can go on and on and on but I'm tired of this. I did finish it, because I was
a) curious to find out how the story ended
b) waiting for the sentence where she released a breath she didn't knew she was holding, but I only found other breath-moments in this book but not this typical one.

I recommend this if you like YA fantasy with a bingo chart :) But it was not for me and I did not enjoyed reading this book, so I will not continue this series. Bummer, I would have loved to love this book because that cover is just so pretty.