Review of Ruthless Kingdom

Blurb: Born under a scarlet moon, Avianna Morningstar should have been revered and feared, as the prophecy proclaimed. But Avia is taken to a remote realm where she would be safe from the anarchy festering in the Kingdoms, meanwhile her potential as a sorceress is all but extinguished.

A sinfully attractive tracker is tasked with bringing Avia back to a homeland she has never known in hopes of awakening the power that has lain dormant within her.

The Kingdoms of Verdae and Inkwood are intrigued and unsettled by the sudden return of the king’s illegitimate daughter. Troublesome is the coiling and churning of forbidden black magic throughout the land.

Piqued by the alleged prophecy, the council begins preparations for a Royal Tournament, a competition of magical skills and stamina intended to cull the incompetent. The ultimate sacrifice for weakness is death. In a desperate bid to survive, Avia must learn to unleash her powers.

Regardless, she soon discovers the tournament is a tactical diversion in order to assassinate the king and conquer Verdae. Avianna is merely a pawn in this treacherous realm.

Review: All Avianna remembers in life is constantly moving. She had no idea they were hiding from someone. When her parents go missing, a gorgeous tracker finds her and brings her to a magical land where she is a princess marked by a prophecy. She has only weeks to learn why she's there and how to use her magic before she's forced to fight for her life.

This is a fabulous YA romantic fantasy where the protagonist is taken from our modern world into a medieval magical one. The kingdoms of Verdae and Inkwood exist on Earth, but they're magically hidden. I'd love to know why and the history of it all. The world building is fabulous, and it leaves the reader eager for more. There's a lot of possible stories that could be born from this world. I like mashing epic fantasy with the modern day world.

Avianna is a sweet and brave girl and is like any teen. Which can make her annoying at times and her decisions questionable. Yet that's a teenager! It's not an insta-love story, but it is an insta-lust. It falls fast into the romance. Harp is the tracker sent to bring her back to her birthplace, and she finds him irresistible. Yet can he be trusted? There's a big cast of characters and a lot of wondering who you can trust as there are many layers of politics, family, and betrayal. There's plenty of action and mystery, and a really cool airship.

You can find Cathrina Constantine on her web site and buy the book here.