Title: The Hundredth Queen
Author: Emily R. King
Published: June 1st 2017 by Skyscape
Buy: Amazon : Goodreads
He wanted a warrior queen. He got a revolutionary.
As an orphan ward of the Sisterhood, eighteen-year-old Kalinda is destined for nothing more than a life of seclusion and prayer. Plagued by fevers, she’s an unlikely candidate for even a servant’s position, let alone a courtesan or wife. Her sole dream is to continue living in peace in the Sisterhood’s mountain temple.
But a visit from the tyrant Rajah Tarek disrupts Kalinda’s life. Within hours, she is ripped from the comfort of her home, set on a desert trek, and ordered to fight for her place among the rajah’s ninety-nine wives and numerous courtesans. Her only solace comes in the company of her guard, the stoic but kind Captain Deven Naik.
Faced with the danger of a tournament to the death—and her growing affection for Deven—Kalinda has only one hope for escape, and it lies in an arcane, forbidden power buried within her.
The Hundreth Queen is a fantasy story involving magic and the bonds of sisterhood.
I really liked the magic element of the story. I enjoyed the Bhutas and how they each specialize in powers. Also the history of them was also interesting. As we learn truths from lies.
The world is small. Mostly confined to the Palace. There is the traveling between the Sisterhood Samiya and the palace but I wouldn’t consider it vast. More of just a path. We don’t get a really idea of the outside kingdom. I thought the descriptions of things inside the palace were good though. I could form it in my mind.
I really loved the feeling of sisterhood. I loved the dedicated friendship between Kalinda and Jaya. Even some of the other girls who might not have always been on the best of terms with her. They all shared a bond. They often reference recapturing their history of warriors sisters.
I was not necessarily enthralled with the romance. I know there are many who do not enjoy instalove and I guess i would consider this in that vein. I was okay with Kalinda and her fascination with Deven. She had not really even seen a man before him. He was also kind and gentle to her on her travels. I almost might have rather seen her end up with Brac. Someone challenging. I was surprised how quickly Deven fell for her being that he talked about how being a loyal soldier is a part of who he is. Then suddenly it doesn’t matter anymore.
For some reason I often pick up on continuity breaks and so I was bother by Kalinda learning a secret and then being confronted by Lakia. Who talks to her as though she knows that she was learned the secret. There was no basis for her to know that and they both spoke of it too casually.
Then later she questions something that makes no sense for her to question, due to her knowing that same secret. It really annoyed me.
Overall it was an okay read. I enjoyed it but I wish some parts, like the romance had been a little bit more. I did really enjoy the magic of the Bhutas.