Kiss of the Royal by Lindsey Duga
Published by Entangled Teen on July 3, 2018
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy
Pages: 400
Source: NetGalley, Blog Tour
In the war against the Forces of Darkness, the Royals are losing. Princess Ivy is determined to end this centuries-long conflict once and for all, so her new battle partner must succeed where the others failed. Prince Zach’s unparalleled skill with a sword, enhanced by Ivy’s magic Kiss, should make them an unstoppable pair—but try convincing Zach of that.
Prince Zach has spent his life preparing for battle, but he would rather be branded a heretic than use his lips as nothing more than a way to transfer magic. A kiss is a symbol of love, and love is the most powerful weapon they have—but try convincing Ivy of that.
With the fate of their world on the line, the battlefield has become a testing ground, and only one of them can be right. Falling for each other wasn’t part of the plan—but try convincing their hearts of that.
I really enjoyed this fresh take on fairy tales. The book takes place in a world where a Kiss holds power to fight evil. It’s used as a weapon in war, completely devoid of the outdated concept of love. But there is a faction of people (the Romantics) who have rebelled—they believe that the kiss is being misused, that the meaning of True Love’s Kiss is much more important (and more powerful) than a kiss being used in war. I loved seeing Ivy’s views on the possibility of love change and grow—and her understanding of her way of life evolve as she learns that many of her basic beliefs are not only wrong, they’re dangerous. The romance is sweet, if somewhat predictable, and I appreciated that it moved slowly for the most part. (We find out that from Zach’s perspective things moved quickly enough to warrant the dreaded instalove label, but the book is saved by the fact that the book isn’t told from his POV and he doesn’t declare his feelings early on.) Overall, I thought this book was a win!
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley and Fantastic Flying Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
Here’s a chance to win a copy of the book AND Lindsey Duga’s Top Ten Addictions. Enjoy!
Lindsey’s Top Ten Addictions
Iced Matcha Green Tea Lattes (with soy milk)
I first discovered these at Starbucks while I was searching for a coffee substitute and have been addicted to them ever since. My most productive writing sessions always begin with one of these–seriously can’t write or live without them!
Girl Superhero Shows
The obsession started with Sailor Moon and didn’t end there. Sure, they’re kinda cheesy, but shows like Totally Spies, Cardcaptor Sakura, Wedding Peach etc, all had really great strong female characters and were great role models for young girls. My current favorite girl superhero show is Miraculous Ladybug. I LIVE for the love-square dynamic with Ladybug, Chat Noir, Adrien, and Marinette.
Boy Hero Book Series
Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl, even teen super-spy Alex Rider…you name it, I pretty much adore it. There’s something about a twelve-year-old boy kicking butt, saving the world, and finding first love that has me squealing with excitement at every page turn.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
I’m not kidding when I say I’ve watched this show from start to finish at least five times. The world of ATLA, the fight scenes, the kick-a$$ female characters, the brooding fire prince, and this goofy bald kid has me laughing and crying no matter how many times I’ve seen each episode.
Ballroom Dancing
Having only started ballroom dancing two years ago, I’m still a complete novice, but I’m totally enchanted with it. My favorite dances are waltz, foxtrot, east coast swing, and west coast swing, but I know a little bit of tango, cha-cha, salsa and rumba.
Reading / Writing
I think this goes without saying for most authors, but it’s still worth reiterating it. I love to write, so that also means I love to read. I can’t imagine my life without either.
The Antiquities
What first got me into the Classics was a book on Greek mythology when I was a kid. And while I love mythology, I have a specific passion for all things Greek, Roman, etc. In college, I even studied abroad in Greece. Best experience of my life.
Harvest Moon / Stardew Valley
The only video game I’ve truly committed to is Harvest Moon. (For those of you who don’t know it, think Farmville but a million times better.) I used to go through phases where I would play it for hours and hours on end. Harvest Moon has long since stopped coming out with new versions, but Stardew Valley is a similar game has come out recently that is just as addicting.
Tonkotsu Ramen
By far my favorite dish! Real authentic tonkotsu ramen is somewhat difficult to find if you don’t live in a bigger city, but the popularity is growing. Pork belly, noodles, mushrooms, scallions, and my favorite–the ajitsuke tamago (soft-boiled eggs cooked in the broth).
Music
A day cannot go by without listening (and singing) to at least an entire album. In the shower, in the car, at work, fixing dinner, writing, I am constantly listening to music. Spotify is my life.
Thanks for sharing, Lindsey. You’ve definitely inspired me to watch some anime!
About The Author
Lindsey Duga is a middle grade and young adult writer with a passion for fantasy, science fiction, and basically any genre that takes you away from the real world. She wrote her first novel in college while she was getting her bachelor’s in Mass Communication from Louisiana State University.
Other than writing and cuddling with her morkie puppy, Delphi, Lindsey loves catching up on the latest superhero TV show and practicing yoga.
1 winner will receive a copy of KISS OF THE ROYAL by Lindsey Duga (Sorry, this giveaway has ended.)
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