Review: The Crown’s Game by Evelyn Skye

Synopsis:

Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.

And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the tsar’s most respected adviser. The defeated is sentenced to death.

Raised on tiny Ovchinin Island her whole life, Vika is eager for the chance to show off her talent in the grand capital of Saint Petersburg. But can she kill another enchanter—even when his magic calls to her like nothing else ever has?

For Nikolai, an orphan, the Crown’s Game is the chance of a lifetime. But his deadly opponent is a force to be reckoned with—beautiful, whip-smart, imaginative—and he can’t stop thinking about her.

And when Pasha, Nikolai’s best friend and heir to the throne, also starts to fall for the mysterious enchantress, Nikolai must defeat the girl they both love…or be killed himself.

As long-buried secrets emerge, threatening the future of the empire, it becomes dangerously clear—the Crown’s Game is not one to lose.

My Review:

4/5

This book was very good! I did wish it was a little longer as it is very fast moving. I was also a little surprised when Nikola’s parentage was revealed but more on that later. Overall, this was a very enjoyable and a quick read for me. I do have the second book here to read so hopefully I can get to that soon!

Me quietly enjoying this book

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Spoilers:

Begone!

OK! Ready? Lets go. So Nikolai is the Tsar’s son… I didn’t see that coming. His mother is also a powerful witch-type figure who had been asleep most of his life which… OK? Cool. As I said I did wish the book was longer to better flesh out that idea because that was such a cool twist! Overall, the book was enjoyable and I was sooo sad at the end when the Game ended and the winner was declared. Like omg… So sad.

About the Author:

Evelyn Skye is the NEW YORK TIMES Bestselling author of THE CROWN’S GAME and its sequel, THE CROWN’S FATE. New series–CIRCLE OF SHADOWS–is out now!.

Evelyn was once offered a job by the C.I.A., she not-so-secretly wishes she was on “So You Think You Can Dance,” and if you challenge her to a pizza-eating contest, she guarantees she will win. When she isn’t writing, Evelyn can be found chasing her daughter on the playground or sitting on the couch, immersed in a good book and eating way too many cookies. She can be found online at www.evelynskye.com, on Instagram @evelyn_skye and on Twitter @EvelynSkyeYA.