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The Kings and Queens of Old

For as long as I can remember, I have had a deep, nearly obsessive, fascination with the past. The stories I was drawn to were ones of kings and queens, knights and wizards, myths and legends. Regardless of the truth behind these stories, the language and the heroic characters that populated the tales created a romantic attachment that lasts to this day. 

Even now, I prefer stories of fantasy and adventure to those of real life, and in admitting this I feel like I have failed in my duty as a bookworm, as I only just finished reading The Lost Queen by Signe Pike, even though it was published in 2018.  

The Lost Queen

I have to sincerely thank Netgalley and Atria Books for giving me access to this ebook, because it was truly a wonderful adventure. The story begins when Languoreth, daughter of a King who still follows the Old Ways of their ancestors, is a child who just lost her mother and must learn to navigate womanhood in a changing world. As the years pass, Languoreth experiences the politics that comes with being the daughter of a king, and witnesses the rise of Christianity, as well as the complexities of war. 

It is hard to say what I loved most about this book. The history is intriguing, as I had never read anything that preceded King Arthur, and the plot was amazingly juicy. It was hard to put my phone down, which is unfortunate because I tend to get headaches reading things on my phone, but it was well worth it. The writing was also superb! I truly felt like I was living in pre-Christian times, and I was glad to escape to Languoreth's world, if only for a few days.

The good news: 4 stars for this book! The bad news: This was the first of the trilogy, which means my TBR just got significantly larger. Oh well! 

If you have any thoughts, questions, or review requests, please comment below, email me (theopinionatedbookworm@gmail.com) or follow me on Instagram (@theopinionatedbookworm1).

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