You will not want to miss this book! Terina does an amazing job of hooking you right from the very first chapter and it only gets better from there. Like any book that is the first in a fantasy series, be prepared for what feels like info dumping at times and recognize that the world isn't fully fleshed out yet. I'm willing to bet it isn't met to be and we are going to learn so much in the future installments as we see where the story goes.

Our FMC comes off as well-balanced, intelligent, and capable of the things she sets her mind to. Our MMC will burn the world for the FMC and this book has all of our favorite romantasy tropes - enemies to lovers, he falls first, slow burn.

Thank you NetGalley and Terina for the opportunity to ARC read this. <3

I'm a little bit 50-50 with this book. I didn't hate it but I also didn't love it. There was a bit too much politics for me, info dump in the beginning but then lack of proper world building and my greatest sadness, the dialogues really didn't sit well with me. But in spite of that if someone likes political scheming, very slow burn romance, I'd recommend for them.

I enjoyed this one! it had the political intrigues I like in a fantasy novel and a take no nonsense FMC (for the most part - I kind of wished she had punched one* character a lot more). This one is full of tropes to those who enjoy a Romantasy book, with slow burn, he falls first, enemies to lovers to name a few

Thank you to NetGalley and Terina Adams for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Unbroken Queen starts off slow and a bit complex while building the characters and world. About 20% in, I was hooked and couldn’t put it down.

I thoroughly enjoyed the double POV. The FMC was intelligent and trained — giving her all the credibility needed in for the trials she faced. Tressya was not one of the breathtaking, beautiful characters that lucked into everything that came at her. She had relatable emotions and sensible inner dialogue. Tressya was a breath of fresh air after reading FMCs who are helpless and immature.

Tamas is a complex MMC who valued Tressya and respected her for her depth.

This is my first shape shifting read so I don’t have anything to compare it to. It was well explained, and I enjoyed the complexity.

Five star read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Super slow burn
Enemies to lovers ish
Low level spice - .5 🌶️
Looking forward to the sequel!

Tressya is an illegitimate princess and is secretively serving the Sistern of Silence. This is a secret group of women who try to serve a greater good. She is training in weaponry and still has not fully mastered her magical possibilities. Unknown to her the Mother, the one leading the Sistern, is putting something into her body and due to this she is able to see spirits, talk tto them and comment them. Also the Mother is choosing her instead of her sister, to be the bride of the crown prince of Tannard and to become their new queen and mother of the future king.
During the travel the ship is attacked by Tamas, lead of the Razohand in the North, who wants to kill the current line inhabiting the throne and to claim the throne for himself. Due to this he wants to avoid that the crone prince is getting a bride. He is in for a chock to discover, that not a dull beauty is on the ship, instead a skilled fighter who is causing for feelings which are not helpful for his course.

I really like how the author is building this world. We are put into the story and during our read we learn the different magic parties playing a part in here and how is favoring what person.
I think she is creating an interesting world where not everybody is what you expect them to be or what they seem to be.
Tressya I liked right from the start. I think it is unfair and hard what she has to endure. OK she is an illegitimate princess but this for me no reason to treat here so bad. Also the Sistern and the Mother are an interesting team about which we learn only small things and I am looking forward to learn more about this secret group. I thought it was strange, what they did to Tressya and how they were treating her.
Tamas is for me a really good character and how he was fighting for such a long time to take over the throne and provide the North a better living. I really like the chemistry between him and Tressya and their interaction is for me really well written.
Also other characters in this book I really like and I think they are interesting. The crown prince is what you can expect of a person used to getting whatever and whoever he wants but his brother and the way he is was a really nice surprise.
Also the magicians protecting the House of Tannard are really good written and I look forward to learn more about them.
For me the mix of duty several people want to fulfill, betrayal and lies, mistrust, secret love and affection, war, magic and several groups trying to influence the future of a county is well done.

I thought this was an enjoyable read. I don’t have any major complaints and I thought it was a good, new adult, romantasy. Personally the pace was a little slow for my taste, but to each their own. Tressya is a strong female lead and I love a badass fmc! Definelty pick this up if you like a good arranged marriage, slow burn, enemies to lovers romantasy

Terina Adams weaves a compelling tale of intrigue, power, and romance in *The Unbroken Queen*, a fantasy novel that plunges readers into a world of political machinations and forbidden magic.

The story centers around an illegitimate princess, bound by duty and betrothed to the crown prince of the House of Tannard, rulers of neighboring realms. Behind her royal façade, she harbors a secret heritage—a rare gift known as the death arts, inherited from her father's lineage and honed under the tutelage of the formidable Sistern of Silence.

Upon arriving in Tarragona to meet her betrothed, she uncovers a web of manipulation orchestrated by the Mother of the Sistern. As tensions escalate between realms and a looming threat of war threatens to engulf the land, she must navigate treacherous waters where loyalty and betrayal blur.

Adams masterfully crafts a narrative where political alliances shift like sand and hidden agendas threaten to upend kingdoms. The protagonist's journey from reluctant bride to strategic player in a high-stakes game of power is both captivating and suspenseful. Her internal conflict, torn between duty and personal desires, adds depth to her character as she grapples with the weight of her responsibilities.

The world-building in *The Unbroken Queen* is richly detailed, immersing readers in a realm where magic intertwines with political ambition. The portrayal of the death arts and their implications for both protagonist and plot enriches the story's mystical elements, adding layers of intrigue and suspense.

At its core, *The Unbroken Queen* is a story of resilience and determination in the face of adversity. The protagonist's journey to uncover the truth and harness her latent powers resonates with themes of identity and empowerment, making her a compelling heroine in a world on the brink of upheaval.

In conclusion, *The Unbroken Queen* is a spellbinding fantasy that will enchant fans of political intrigue and romantic suspense alike. Terina Adams delivers a gripping narrative filled with twists and turns, ensuring readers are on the edge of their seats until the very last page.

*The Unbroken Queen* by Terina Adams is a must-read for fantasy enthusiasts, blending romance, magic, and political intrigue into a captivating tale of courage and destiny. Adams' evocative prose and well-crafted plot make this novel a standout in the genre, promising an exhilarating journey through a world where power comes at a price and secrets are the currency of survival.

Book review
“The Unbroken Queen” was my first book that had world building and honestly it was very hard to follow. The dialogue of the story fell a little flat for me. I feel like the first 40% of the book was just dragged out by world building. The romance part of the story I feel wasn’t really necessary because I felt there was a lack of chemistry leading up to it. If you are a reader who loves arranged marriage you’d enjoy this book.

The story was action packed and filled with lots of slow burn and banter. The female main character was definitely not a damsel in distress and held her own throughout the story.. Written in dual POV.

Plot: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lore: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
World building:⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Let's break it down!

Add this to your TBR immediately and look out for this author!

Plot: The Unbroken Queen is a dual narrative book that follows an illegitimate princesses trained ?assassin? And a prince intent on reclaiming his families thrown after centuries of his lineage being banished and in hiding. The story is brimming with angst, tension, betrayal, self discovery, love and political intrigue.There is so much that happens, especially at the beginning, that it takes a few chapters to really get into the story. However, without the context of the begining the rest would not have made sense. There were so many layers to this story and it was so well laid out. I'm honestly not sure what some of these negative reviews are about because the story was both original and familiar, entertaining and eloquently told.

Characters: our FMC is more than your typical bad ass, she is multifaceted and her personality feels realistic and relatable .she is the illegitimate princes who seemingly never measured up, creating within her a deep rooted lack of self assurance and self worth. Though she tried to talk herself out of these thoughts, the subtle way the author puts in her lack of confidence in herself is done so well! She has had to work twice as hard to fit in, but never seems to, and ultimately realizes she wasn't meant to. What the FMC has been taught are weaknesses are really strengths though she doesn't see it yet.
The MMC is 🥵. He gives not only touch her and you die, but also touch her and I'll help her kill you. We love that support. He is also multifaceted..you can tell he is honorable, but he has doubts about if he's worthy and if he can handle the crown if he gets it. These are things a real person would contemplate and I appreciate that.

Lore: the lore is 😘 🤌. Like my goodness, the amount of history and legend you get in the book is insane. It is so well thought out and complete. I had no notes. Each new thing I learned about the lore of this world had me in a complete chokehold.

World building: here is where it fell a bit short for me. While the lore was superb, the execution of bringing that lore and world to life fell a bit flat. I wanted more. This story was very character driven, which is good, but with such heavy lore there needed to be more emphasis on world building to make it feel more complete.

Spice: this is a fantasy with spice, not a spicy book. There are definitely scenes that get steamy, but it is not the driving plot. As a plot girly myself, I was not too upset about this.

All in all I highly enjoyed this book and will be impatiently waiting for the second book because ... WTF was that ending!?! The cliffhanger that left me on was just cruel. I have so many questions and no answers until the next book releases 😭😭

Thank you Net Galley and Terina Adams for allowing me to ARC read this book!

- Enemies to lovers
- Beast shifters
- Forced mates
- Hidden identity

This book started off with promise, the magic system was interesting the different clans intrigued me and the plot seemed sound but as the book went on it felt difficult to keep track of all the people, names, places and lore.
I loved the duel POV and how the stories combined
I'll be honest though, I did start skimming parts from 45% in
The potential for enemies to lovers was 100% there but the development of feelings felt like it came out of nowhere for the MMC
Although the writing mentioned a lot of lore related topics I felt like depth was missing and I was left not really understanding motives or backgrounds of characters.
If the book was condensed and there were shorter chapters with less lore scattering it really has potential

FMC: 23
MMC: 27

4.5/5

Let’s start by saying, a lot happened!
We jump straight in, getting to know our protagonist. She’s a bit on the wild side, yet isn’t a stranger to violence.

What to expect:
* feisty FMC with a tendency to get her dagger out at any given moment!!
* Slow burn, all the angst, tension and flirtatious banter
* He falls first extremely HARD
* dual PoV
* Enemies to lovers!

We follow our fiery protagonists who are bound by duty, weighing up whether to remain loyal or betray all they know for what the heart wants.

World building:
* There is a lot of moving parts at play, a lot to take on board and truly understand the depth of the world created. It was truly a delight to be so fully immersed. I think if you were a beginner to fantasy it may be a bit too heavy as a starter fantasy book however the book does give reminders throughout.
* Trying to wrap my head around all the different names and places was a mouthful but really immersed you into the world, with spirits, the power to control them, shapeshifting and more!! This book turned out to be so much more than I was expecting.
* the bone throne intrigues me a lot. It feels very game of thrones like and I’m loving it, with the different clans, houses and blood claims to the throne, all their lineage.

What I liked:
* The descriptions never lacked once, I thought the depictions were extremely thorough and beautiful. I could really picture everything clearly in my mind. “In the flaming torchlight, flecks of white stone seemed to dance along the floor’s surface, making it appear like ripples in an oily sea. Above, the same flecks of stone gave the ceiling the appearance of the night sky.” there’s too many to go through but it had me in awe.
* The love bind; the reveal of what the mark means, I was eating that scene up!!
* I loved the dual PoV’s, it made the flow of the book much easier to follow and think it was vital to have both views of our FMC/MMC to really see their thought processes as well as their battle being bound to their duties.
* I have read a lot of YA fantasy, so this was super refreshing to read an adult fantasy book that also didn’t make me cringe too much, I really felt the tone of voice which emulated pure passion between the characters, the back and forth between Tamas and Tressya had me always wanting more with the tension and angst. A perfect slow burn!

The characters:
Tamas - what a brute of a man / beast! A naughty thing he is, isn’t he. His dialogue has me giddy from the start. Very headstrong and not afraid to stand up for what he believes in.

Tressya - our feisty princess, lethal and always underestimated however was quick to always hold her own throughout. Yet also just a woman who wishes for freedom of choice, the constant struggle between doing her duty, remaining loyal but going against everything she truly feels also on top with the burden of guilt and betrayal. “The Mother was my mother, and her word is my law”.

Andriet - what a sweetheart! I just wanted to give him a cuddle. He’s a delight, he reminds me of a jester, mischevious and cunning with his own agenda but comedic nonetheless. “Pleasantly contagious” as a description couldn’t be more accurate. Oh sweet sweet Andriet.

The spirits dialogue was hilarious! very entertaining. Felt like they were guardians at times but comedic yet also the resemblance to a sibling badgering you was captured perfectly and eerie!

Carlin - he’s too sweet for his own good. He handled it all with such grace in an impossible circumstance.

The high stakes and quick pace in the last 200 pages had me on the edge of my seat, what was going to happen?! The way it ended… I need to know what happens next. The way I cried, it was heart wrenching.

A side note: I think chapter 37 was labelled wrong for the POV however this may only be in the copy I read.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Terina Adams for this opportunity to read this amazing book in exchange for an honest review. I look forward to reading more from this spectacular author.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. There were many elements that I usually enjoy in a fantasy, but something was just off. The writing style was quite dense and slow, and the world building (especially in the beginning) was almost too complex to be appreciated. There were names and things mentioned once and never brought up again. The romance aspect also felt very rushed and lacking. I prefer there to be more of a slow burn with lots of chemistry and tension, but that wasn't present here. I think there's an audience for this, but it wasn't for me.

I found the book too confusing..... It was hard to follow what was going on and got a little muddled for me. I ended up not finishing the book because of this.

Fantasy Romance is my FAVOURITE genre, so I admit, I can sometimes be much harsher in my reviews.. I read A LOT of it, so I always need something special to blow me away. Sadly, this left me underwhelmed.

It read well, and there was nothing wrong with it for the most part - but that also meant, it lacked any standout elements. While the premise showed potential, the story failed to distinguish itself in a genre. Adams' writing is solid, and the world-building has promise, but the characters and their conflicts didn't resonate deeply enough to make a lasting impact.

The pacing was steady, but the plot lacked the twists and complexities. Overall, while it's a decent choice for fans seeking a straightforward fantasy read, or an entry into the genre.

I spent a rainy weekend curled up on the couch enjoying this slow burn enemies to lovers story. This book draws you in from the very first chapter. It is really well written and the perfect start to this new series. I'm ready for the next one.

I really wanted to like this story. All the elements were there but the author just couldn’t push it through. The spice level was boringly bland compared to the other books I’ve read in this genre. I will still be recommending it just to a different audience than the publisher may have intended.

The unbroken Queen sounded right up my alley so I was excited to get a chance to read this. Sadly for whatever reason I had a really hard time immersing myself into the story and i just as more than halfway through before I started to get into it. Even then I still felt confused like I’d missed an important prequel and had accidentally leaped into the middle of a series. I still felt even halfway through that I really didn’t fully understanding what was happening. I mean I knew what was happening but I had no idea what any of the characters motivations were so I was missing a good portion of the plot thread dynamics.

Overall, the story was interesting and I enjoyed it but I feel a stronger connection to the characters backstory might have helped me better connect with the overall plot. I feel that lack of understanding the different regions and there motivations to control the bone throne was an important part of what I needed to understand to fully immerse myself. I still liked the book and I’ll still recommend reading it.

The Unbroken Queen by Terina Adams. This book was phenomenal. I was excited when I was approved for the ARC. It has so much in it and reminded me of so many other books and movies that I have read and watched. I loved the dynamic characters. Tressya, the main female character is so realistic in her emotions and how she deals with them. She is torn between her duty and being loyal but also begins to question what she is “told she is meant to accomplish.” She can tell there is more out there and that she is meant for more. There is conflict in her soul but she is understanding of that and doesn’t waste time whining about it. Rather she starts to make choices for herself and fight for what she wants. She finds a new sense of loyalty and duty in herself. Tressya isn’t just another pretty little spoiled princess but a fear fighter. She is skilled and can hold her own in a fight. For someone who has always been told she is less than and is only good enough to bear for the king; she truly becomes a force of nature.
Tamas, the main male character is also just as torn between duty and his love that he did not expect to have. He sees the fearsome warrior before him and encourages her to continue the fight and not be afraid of the decisions that she makes. He encourages her to not allow others to shame her for what she decides to fight for because only she knows her own heart.
The side characters were phenomenal as well. Some you’ll hate, some you’ll absolutely adore, and some you just want to get to know more.

I can’t wait for book 2! 

I recently finished this thrilling summer camp vibes mystery novel and I enjoyed every page. I love a good dual timeline and actually liked the unreliable narrator. It kept me guessing at every twist and turn.
Emma is a complex character who starts as a very young very naive girl like most of us were and becomes a young woman who has gone through a trauma that she is still haunted by, a lot of it from her own inability to move on. Moving on is hard and when there are questions left unanswered it can be even more difficult. She has her coping mechanism, painting, and it has turned into something larger than she ever imagined. But she wants answers, after 15 years she is still wondering and holding on to the girls that disappeared all those years ago only a few weeks into summer camp.
She gets that chance and when I tell you the twists and turns and revelations were spectacular.

There were a couple of plot lines that in the end I wished they had been used in a bigger way but nonetheless, this was a great story and a great kick-off for summer mystery vibe reading.

The Unbroken Queen by Terina Adams is an enthralling journey into a world of intrigue, power, and forbidden romance. With its rich storytelling and complex characters, this enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance captivates readers from the very first page.

The protagonist, an illegitimate princess trained as an assassin and crowned as queen, serves as a compelling anchor for the narrative. Bound by duty and betrothed to the crown prince of the House of Tannard, she also secretly serves the formidable Sistern of Silence, masters of the death arts. This duality in her identity adds depth and tension to the story, making her a fascinating character to follow.

Adams' world-building is exceptional, vividly bringing to life the realms of Tarragona and the intricate politics that govern them. The protagonist's journey to meet her betrothed is fraught with manipulation and hidden motives, revealing the Mother of the Sistern’s true intentions and setting the stage for a gripping tale of power and deception.

The plot thickens as the northern realm's thirst for power and its enigmatic leader’s ambitions threaten to destabilize the southern throne and its prized Etherweave. The protagonist's disdain for her fiancé pales in comparison to the looming threat of war, forcing her to confront her own abilities and the dormant power within her. Her struggle to protect the House of Tannard while navigating the clandestine pillars of the Sistern adds layers of intrigue and suspense to the narrative.

One of the standout elements of the novel is the tension-filled romance between the protagonist and the Razohan leader. As an enemy and a persistent shadow, his presence adds an electrifying dynamic to the story. The interplay of love and hate, duty and desire, is masterfully woven into the plot, making the romantic arc as compelling as the political intrigue.

Adams excels in her descriptive writing, painting a vivid picture of the world she has built. The detailed descriptions of the settings, the magic system, and the complex social structures immerse readers in a richly crafted fantasy realm. The narrative is well-paced, balancing action, romance, and political maneuvering in a way that keeps readers hooked until the very end.

In conclusion, The Unbroken Queen is a captivating tale that blends fantasy, romance, and political intrigue seamlessly. Terina Adams has created a world that is as dangerous as it is alluring, with characters that are both relatable and complex. For fans of enemies-to-lovers romance and intricate fantasy worlds, this book is a must-read. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey and highly recommend it to anyone looking for an engrossing and well-crafted story!