Vicious Princess

 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

If you love Divergent, Vampire Academy, and all things fae, you will love this!

I was taken by surprise by this book and read it in one sitting! 

After Phoenix's entire family is slaughtered, she sets out on a mission of revenge in a new land, using her training to help her infiltrate the elite academy for fae fighters (Ezkai). The catch? She's the only human in the school, is in denial that she loves her instructor after a pre-enrolment tryst, and she's one of the coveted Phantom Rangers, a Decarios born with a rare affinity for the bow. The pace of this new story was fast and never dull. The author pulls you in and satisfies the immediate problems the characters face while making you want to find out what happens next for Phoenix in Blood Queen! 

Worldbuilding: There was just enough to give the reader a sense of why Phoenix went to the new world to climb the ranks to take revenge on her homeland, whose royalty is responsible for the death of her entire family. The similarities and differences between where Phoenix grew up and trained to be a warrior, and where she escapes to, is sprinkled throughout the story in just enough snippets to avoid info-dumping and create a full picture of how harsh the land Phoenix escaped is. At the same time, her new world is shown as just as vicious, albeit in different ways. While one wants you to prove yourself with what pain you are willing to withstand to join, the other wants you to prove yourself in what you're willing to do to others for the cause.

Characters: OMG. I love, love, love Daegal and Phoenix! The forbidden nature of their relationship (student x instructor) heightens the stakes and somehow made me root for them like I did Dimitri and Rose! They both have ulterior motives and histories that they don't immediately share--always holding back! But they root for each other, and Daegel helps her connect to her bow to become the Phantom Ranger she's meant to be. And as much as she finds herself wanting him, her mission remains her focus, and that makes her a beast FMC!

Honestly, if you like:

🏹Fighting 

💘Forbidden Romance

💣Revenge

🧚Fae

🌍New World

You will love Vicious Princess and mark the release for the sequel, Blood Queen!

Thank you @NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!