• Booklist Reviews : Booklist Reviews 2020 July #1
  Princess Amarande has a full plate of problems. Her father is dead, and although he raised her to be a warrior, the law of the land does not recognize a female heir to the throne. Instead, her council is busily negotiating marriage contracts with the three royals vying for her hand. One of these, a prince under the thumb of his regent mother, arranges for the kidnapping of Amarande's dearest friend, Luca, a stable boy. Amarande grabs her father's swords and her horse and sets out to rescue Luca. Thus begins a riveting series of adventures that cut from Amarande to Luca's plight to loathsome Prince Renard and his creepy younger brother Taillefer, until the stories don't as much converge as collide. Amarande is larger than life, but convincing as well, and while the villains can run somewhat to the cartoonish, that fits with Henning's broad strokes of adventure, humor, and romance, as well as her use of familiar fantasy tropes. The ending promises a sequel and contains a twist readers might not see coming. Grades 9-12. Copyright 2020 Booklist Reviews.

SARAH HENNING is a recovering journalist who has worked for Palm Beach Post, Kansas City Star, and Associated Press, among others. Her novels include Sea Witch and Throw Like a Girl. When not writing, she runs ultramarathons, hits the playground with her two kids and hangs out with her husband Justin, who doubles as her long-suffering IT department.