The Queen’s Rising by Rebecca Ross

What I drank: Schamps! Hahahahahah i was only supposed to get budget chard and the event i went to accidentally started serving champagne and I also have popeyes.

What it’s about: Brienna is a student at what’s effectively an upper-class trade school, where students train in one of the five “passions” and hope to secure a patron. Sit down, you’re in for a shock – Brienna doesn’t get one. But a few months later, her headmistress hooks her up with a patron (which, this is a lot more complicated and not entirely accurate but no spoilers here), and Brienna gets involved in a major political plot etc. etc.

So my feelings:
– fairly predictable (Brienna’s an orphan! Displaced royalty! Betrayal and revenge!), but very readable; I did read some reviews that said they felt the book was slow, but I actually liked the pace
– VERY visual, I loved the descriptions of all the locations
– So there are two countries in the book that are basically rennaisance Scotland and France. didn’t love “scotland” being full of warriors with no manners (someone literally rage flips a table), but i did like the lady warriors
– REALLY loved the lady friendships and i hope there’s more of that in book 2
– The names. They’re fine, there have DEFINITELY been worse names in literature, but like…the school Brienna attends is Magnalia House, and i keep reading it Magnolia. There’s a character named Amandine and I know it’s an actual name but i keep reading it almondine

SPOILERS
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– So while I saw this was predictable…honestly? did not see it coming that any woman could challenge to be queen and i like the implications of that for book 2
– the love story was ok, but why the shit couldn’t brienna and cartier get an actualy description of each other when they were using their aliases?? “she’ll be wearing a rose in her hair” come on.
– THANK GOD SHE WASN’T ACTUALLY THE PRINCESS. Or an assassin.
– Brienna’s passion is knowledge, and I could have done with more examples of Brienna using her training
– You know what? I wish we hadn’t killed of Brienna’s real dad, because there’s a LOT to unpack
– unresolved question – so the queen is the only one with magic, but brienna has a kind of magic gift, which i actually liked the explanation. so does her ability still work now that the mission’s been completed?
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END OF SPOILERS

I enjoyed it. I look forward to book 2.

What I gave it – 4 stars

What I would pair it with – Pinot noir. No particualr reason, I just think it’d be a nice pairing.

FBGM,

linz