About the Book

Book: Mortal Queens

Author: Victoria McCombs

Genre: YA Fae Fantasy

Release Date: February 6, 2023

They vanish without a trace, disappear into the night…

Each year on the center island, one girl is chosen to be the next Mortal Queen of the idolized fae. The mortals praise these lucky girls, but their daughters are never seen again.

The fae realm is eternal night, where disputes are settled by chess matches, power is acquired through the most devious kinds of trickery, and seven illusive kings roam. The fae hide their faces behind masks and guard their glass hearts to keep them from shattering. But beyond the veil of this luxurious paradise, a dark secret simmers, for their Queens have disappeared.

When aspiring artist Althea is selected, she is desperate to avoid the same mysterious fate. With no one to trust, she conceals messages in paintings and receives anonymous replies from a stranger who slowly reveals the tale of a girl who outwitted the fae. Only if she is clever enough will Althea survive the fate of the Mortal Queens. As long as the king who cannot love does not claim her first.

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About the Author

Victoria McCombs is the author of YA fantasy books such as The Storyteller’s Daughter and The Royal Rose Chronicles. She lives in Omaha, Nebraska with her husband and three children. Her days are filled with coffee, reading, golfing, board games, and homeschooling the littles.

More from Victoria

There are several parties thrown in the fae realm, so today I’ll be sharing a party favorite recipe! I’ve had strangers reach out years after a party to ask for this recipe, and it’s so simple to make!

Cucumber Party Sandwiches

Ingredients: One French loaf (the thinner, the better. It will be topped with a cucumber.)

1-2 cucumbers

8 oz cream cheese

½ cup mayo

1 package dry Italian dressing

We’d always buy the French loaf in a roll that you bake like crescent rolls, however I’ve struggled to find them recently, so I just buy the premade bread. However you acquire your bread, you’ll want it cooked and sliced into inch thick pieces.

Cut medium-thick slices of cucumber

Combine the cream cheese, mayo, and dry Italian dressing.

Spread the mixture over the bread, then top with cucumber. May garnish with pepper if desired. Done!

MY REVIEW

Before I get into my review I must give a shout out to the person who created the cover. It is spectacular and draws readers in instantly. I loved how it is perfect for the story and compliments it very well. An eerie world sets the stage for this tale where danger is close and decisions can be harmful if you make the wrong choice.

Thea is facing a big day as this is the last time she is eligible to be chosen Mortal Queen. She doesn’t want to be chosen and has other plans for her future. You can feel her heart pounding as she approaches what could be the biggest day of her life. Her father is betting everything that she will win, but at what cost will Thea face if she wins?

As Thea becomes the Mortal Queen odd rules begin to be told to her. She must wear her mask at all times. No one should ever see her face in public. It was odd that she chose the color black as her mask since no one has ever picked that color before. Earrings that’s painful when inserted and a tattooed crown that will never fall nor fade. These rules should start to cause Thea to become a bit nervous. What has she gotten herself into? I did not like her father at all and knew he had somehow known she would be chosen.

The new realm Thea has entered is strange as alliances must be made in order to have power. Enemies are near and Thea must be ready for anything. It was quite intriguing to watch Thea figure out who she could trust. Thea starts to make alliances but I’m not sure they were good choices. This new place she lives in is filled with enemies and she needs to be on guard at all times.

With suspense, unsavory characters and a few unsettling scenes the author does a good job of keeping the story going. I was fascinated by where the other Mortal Queens were and somehow knew that secret was dangerous to know. For fans of this genre you will not be disappointed as action and twists rule this story.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.