Book Review: The Queen of the Tearling

Title: The Queen of the Tearling
Publisher: Bantam
Series: The Tearling Trilogy #1
Release Date: 16/07/2015
Pages: 512
Service: Bought
Format: Paperback
Buy: Book Depository

'Kelsea Glynn is the sole heir to the throne of Tearling but has been raised in secret by foster parents after her mother – Queen Elyssa, as vain as she was stupid – was murdered for ruining her kingdom. For 18 years, the Tearling has been ruled by Kelsea’s uncle in the role of Regent however he is but the debauched puppet of the Red Queen, the sorceress-tyrant of neighbouring realm of Mortmesme. On Kelsea’s 19th birthday, the tattered remnants of her mother’s guard - each pledged to defend the queen to the death - arrive to bring this most un-regal young woman out of hiding...

And so begins her journey back to her kingdom’s heart, to claim the throne, earn the loyalty of her people, overturn her mother’s legacy and redeem the Tearling from the forces of corruption and dark magic that are threatening to destroy it. But Kelsea's story is not just about her learning the true nature of her inheritance - it's about a heroine who must learn to acknowledge and live with the realities of coming of age in all its insecurities and attractions, alongside the ethical dilemmas of ruling justly and fairly while simply trying to stay alive...

After a massive reading slump The Queen of the Tearling was exactly what I needed to pick me up out of it and pull me back into the world of books. There were so many things that I loved about this book and it made me devour it quicker than I thought I would have been able to during term time. It was the type of book that completely captured my attention and drew me in from start to finish. To find a book that makes me fall in love with every part and wonder where time has gone can be rare but Johansen hit the nail on the head with this one. 
There are times where I can find a main character extremely annoying. They just don't bode well with me. I struggle to relate to them because there's one trait that just ticks me off. But with Kelsea, she was something that I loved. She was a character that I think Johansen really let grow in the books. There was so much character development within the book but it was also extremely realistic. She was a strong female character who also had to realise that she had flaws that were going to hinder her. It was nice to see that as much as she was a female who knew that she had to take control, she was also someone that knew that she had to listen to the people that were around her in order to become a better person. 
This was the kind of book where when I was reading it, I didn't see where all of the pages were going and when I had gotten to the end, I wanted more. The plot was extremely well executed and there was constantly some action that was going on. There was something that always had me hooked and wanting to turn the page and that's the kind of book that I loved to read!
I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book. There are so many questions that have been left unanswered and I ready to carry on my journey with Kelsea. 
Rating: ★★★★★