The premise honestly had a lot of potential and the title really drew me in, but the story just didn’t pull me deep enough to stay hooked. The pacing felt too dragged out for my taste, and the characters didn’t leave much of an impression. I struggled to connect with them. After a while, I found my interest fading and couldn’t bring myself to finish it. Maybe it’ll hit differently another time, but right now, it just didn’t work for me. That said, it might still resonate better with readers who enjoy a slower, more subtle build-up.

the ideas were great, but the execution just wasn't it. I don't think I'm a fan of the way Carter Brown writes, but this story had a lot of promise.

Full of twists and turns that kept me completely hooked! The worldbuilding is so great and I felt fully immersed. The characters are distinct and well fleshed out. I'll have to go read the prequel novella because I can't wait for the next book!

This is the first book from a series.from the very beginning, the characters and the plot has captured my attention. I read this in one sitting. Easy read.
There is romance and it wasn’t a slow burn. While they both shared grief, but felt out of place. I wished the author wrote made it more of an actual slow burn. I needed both MMC and fmc’s understanding for each other and a bonding that is not based on romance. I enjoyed the fact that there is a disabled hero(please don’t think this the wrong way). I meant that, whenever I read about a MMC, the authors always him with a strong physique.
Anyways, there were times the timeline in the plot was confusing and inconsistent. I am definitely going to pick up the second book. Especially with the cursed.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

I absolutely loved the unique concept and world building. There was a lot going on, but none of it was too much or confusing. The story does end on a cliffhanger and absolutely nothing was resolved, so the next book will be one to look forward to!

Queen of Shifting Sands is an enchanting blend of romance, intrigue, and desert adventure. Lystra’s strength and Elerek’s vulnerability make for a captivating slow-burn romance as they fight to save their kingdom. With vivid world-building and high-stakes tension, this story is perfect for fans of heartfelt fantasy with strong characters. Highly recommend!

This was my first book by this author and im happy to report it will not be my last! I loved the characters and the world building. I really enjoyed the vibes and the atmosphere that everything was set up. Im excited to read more from Ms Kaitlyn!

I was incredibly invested through the first 2/3 of this book. The characters are engaging, the worldbuilding was fabulous. Unfortunately, the last third was a bit clunky. So much happened so quickly and none of the arcs were completed. I understand the need for cliffhangers in stories but you need to have some resolution. The pacing also changed a lot in the last third, going significantly faster. Which is neither bad nor good by itself, but in this, it felt like some of the reveals weren't fully explained. Overall, it was a fun read if you like desert fantasy, but not my favorite.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley for the digital copy of in exchange for an honest review!

There's something about middle-eastern fantasy books set in vast desert feels magical to me, and this book just completed the list. It has complex plot heavy with magical element, political intrigue, and emotional aspects such as grief, revenge, and betrayal that succeeded in tearing my heart apart throughout the book. Even so, there's way too much misunderstanding between the characters and sometimes i find they behaved kinda ridiculous. Maybe it's part of the character development (i hope so) but still it's too much to my liking.

With a flowery writing, it's a suitable magical romantasy you would want to add to your next read. I'm excited for the sequel!

This books was so good. It was such a unique concept. The characters are larger than life. I can't wait to read more from this author

This book is fantastical and delivers incredible worldbuilding. Aside from that, this book has some strong characters that have a strong desire to safe their kingdom. There was some great disability rep. The love was a bit too instant-y, especially as it is stated that the FMC really loved her deceased husband but overall, solid book.

So sorry for the late review! Apparently my original feedback never was sent in!
I really enjoyed this book full of magic, action, political intrigue and romance! The characters were well written and likeable. I love dessert/ Middle Eastern inspired fantasies and this one was great! I can't wait to continue the series when the next book comes out!

Book review 📚
Queen of Shifting Sands by Kaitlyn Carter Brown
⭐⭐⭐


Unfortunately this just wasn’t for me. I gave it a good go and got to 60% hoping if I gave it a chance then the book would come to life. It was just too slow for me to get into and had some strong predictability to it. Had I of been left wondering I would have been able to finish.

This one was not my cup of tea. Too much fantasy for me to really enjoy. Great for anyone who likes historical fantasy.

I was pleasantly surprised by this story. When I found out that it was only the first book and I would have to find the next book to see what happens, I was a little disappointed.

The story begins as if the reader is already acclimatized to the world we are about to enter. The scene is set with war in the offing. There are a lot of politics in play and the biggest one comes with the death of the King. The title was given to a man set to unite the different houses under a benevolent rule. With him dead, the hidden brother takes centre stage.

The sands and the kingdom itself are heavily described. This feels like a positive thing, given the magic that is present within. There’s a curse that flows behind the story, one that moves by touch. There are secrets that seem a little more obvious to us as readers than the people in the story, but some of them are revealed during the course of this book.

The ending is a sort of cliff hanger, so I would actually recommend picking this up only if the next is nearby or if you don’t mind a wait.

I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

The desert area was such a refreshing world to be a part of! It was quite slow in places but the banter and slow burn romance got me hooked by the end

THIS BOOK had me on a chokehold and I need book 2 like now. With an interesting curse I had never seen before, to the slow burn of slow burns with Lystra and Elerek and by the end, I was in absolute shambles, but I respect the fact that this book almost gave us not a happy ending

Prince of Persia meets Beauty and the Beast in this vivid fantasy.
Lystra is looking forward to marrying the king who is the love of his life but when he is killed in an ambush she is left grieving his loss. Her family schemes to marry her off to her betrothed’s brother Elerek who is a mysterious character. Elerek has always been content to hide in the shadows of his brother until his death where he is forced to take the crown. But Elerek has secrets and a curse that has kept him isolated. Can Elerek and Lystra work together to protect their kingdom or will the curse doom them all.
Absolutely breathtaking world building in this book creates a vivid and beautiful scene for the story to unfold. The curse is very unique and the plot twists and turns. The romance did not resonate with me as it seemed to come out of nowhere and be tainted by grief.
Love the character of Elerek, so strong and courageous despite his physical disability and the curse.
I will definitely read the next book when it comes out.

I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book, and the first 50% or so was about a four star read for me. The world building is really great, and the curse was a new and interesting plot point that I haven’t seen before. There were some small inconsistencies in plot and timeline that I could forgive, because I was really enjoying it overall. Then… the book seemed to lose steam, or maybe lose an editor. The second half was very hard to follow, and I kept flipping back and forth because it felt like there were missing chapters, and I was never sure how much time had passed between passages. The love story is a slowwww burn (which I didn’t mind at all, as both of the main characters were dealing with grief) but then all of a sudden they were in love? With very little build up between reluctant allies and that stage? And there were so many somewhat disparate conflicts towards the end, I wish the book had been a bit more streamlined. Such a shame, as like I said, I really really loved the first half. I think I would carry on with the series to see what happens next, but this book left off in such a strange and confusing place, that I’m not as excited for book 2 as I thought I would be.

Thank you to NetGalley and Whimsical Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.