4.5 stars

Royal Blood was exactly the read I needed right now, and it was surprisingly a lot more than I expected it to be. At first, I was intrigued by the premise but then figured I probably wouldn't be reading it as it's fairly removed from my usual taste. But that (and a short preview) ended up being exactly the reason I picked it up when being immersed in my usual genres started to go a bit stale.

I was expecting a pretty low stakes, rom-com level drama to be perfectly honest, but what I got was a fast-paced, highly engaging plot with a near perfect balance of drama, mystery, character study, depth, wit, and heart. I legitimately could not stop reading this and finished it within 24 hours, and I'm genuinely excited to dive into the next book once it's out.

So... if anyone is a bit iffy on whether or not to read this, and/or needs a 'palate cleanser' between their tried & true faves, I would definitely recommend giving this book a chance! ( )

* I got this book for review from the publisher*
I loved this book. Maybe it was prefect time, prefect place. But i loved this book. Finding out you are the princess to the king of enlgland and all the wild things that occured. I also loved the mystery that infused in this novel. I loved the outside elements that help to expand this world. I also loved the small group of characters that were the focus of this read!! I loved all the plotical drama and also the family dynamcics that devleoped throughout this reead. The mysery went in a direction that i was not expecting and i am so excited for more books in this series. if you loved american royal but wanted mroe murder, check it out!! This book does have a trigger for sexual assult!! ( )

* I got this book for review from the publisher*
I loved this book. Maybe it was prefect time, prefect place. But i loved this book. Finding out you are the princess to the king of enlgland and all the wild things that occured. I also loved the mystery that infused in this novel. I loved the outside elements that help to expand this world. I also loved the small group of characters that were the focus of this read!! I loved all the plotical drama and also the family dynamcics that devleoped throughout this reead. The mysery went in a direction that i was not expecting and i am so excited for more books in this series. if you loved american royal but wanted mroe murder, check it out!! This book does have a trigger for sexual assult!! ( )

After she is arrested for setting fire to one of her classrooms, Evangeline Bright is whisked off to Windsor Castle in England where she will live with her father, the king, and the rest of the royal family until the end of the month when she will turn 18. Very few of the royals show any acceptance of her except for the handsome Jasper, but when a night out at a party turns violent, Evan will have to figure out what really happened in order to keep herself from being arrested once again.

Royal Blood is a well-written, well-crafted YA mystery with plenty of drama and angst, almost too much at times. Most characters have complete story arcs that lead to satisfying conclusions by the end of the book. At the same time, Evan's character provides a cute fish out of water plot line that drives the rest of story, adding some humor and emotion along the way. While the first half of the book shows Evan confronting the family that has denied her existence for almost 18 years, the last half focuses more on the mystery and the search for clues. Overall, Royal Blood is a great beginning for this new YA series and makes for an enjoyable and entertaining read. Fans of The Inheritance Games should like this book. ( )

This was such an enthralling read that captures the reader from the start. Evan's life was easy to get pulled into with the magic of having a royal/famous parent who is distant and a whole family unwilling to acknowledge her. As the story builds, it changes into something else with a mystery/suspense that becomes quite consuming. The elements of what happened are quite dark, as Evan was drugged for the purpose of assault, and though she was able to fight her way away, the details are fuzzy, so even she is unsure about whether she had a hand in the ensuing death. The discussions around the assault are really important discussing the way that blame is given but undeserved and situations in which this may not be so readily understood, but should be. While the context of Evan's particular situation is given, this is juxtaposed with others and these discussions are quite powerful. Another really strong and important theme was around mental illness, in the case of Evan's mother. The way both of these situations play out were really well done and open the door to critical discussions that would work well for book groups or buddy reads.

Evan is a compelling character. Even while she acts out and seems a bit prickly, she is really just trying to find her place in the world and people she can care for. Her life has been in turmoil since she was little. She lived with her grandmother while her mother was receiving treatment, until her death, and then her father's custody, which meant constant boarding schools. She cares deeply for her mother, but has not allowed herself to care for others as deeply for reasons she is still understanding herself. Her growth during the story opens herself up to difficult truths, but also to people for which she can care.

There ended up being a few consuming mysteries that kept the story moving quickly. This ended up being a read that kept the pages turning late at night to figure out what was happening and how all the chips would fall - with some good twists along the way. Should go over well with YA readers who like a little royal drama in their mystery. ( )