The Chess Game: The Celebrate Lit Blog Tour and Giveaway of Mortal Queens

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.

Click here to get your copy!

Book Review

There’s just something about fantasy that I love. Maybe it’s the imagination and creativity of the authors, maybe it’s all the different worlds I can escape to, maybe it’s the characters…I don’t know, but I just love everything about fantasy novels. And Mortal Queens is no exception.

I was hooked from the start and, just like Thea, incredibly intrigued by the fae and their realm. I was desperate to be a part of it, to see what it would be like, and to know why they needed a mortal queen. As soon as Thea enters the realm, I’m going to be honest, I disconnected from the story for a while. I’m not even sure why. Maybe it’s because I felt like I couldn’t connect to any of the characters, not even Thea. But that’s just a me thing and should not deter anyone from reading the book. I kept reading because the plot line drew me in and I needed to know who was trustworthy, who wasn’t, and, most importantly, if Thea would find a way to outwit the fae. And that ending…there were definitely a couple things I did not see coming. And it left me wanting to know more, which to me, is one of the most important elements in a fantasy series. So yes, I eagerly await the next book in the series and I will read it.

Overall, I highly recommend this novel to anyone who likes clean fantasy. Overall, the story is captivating and McCombs does a wonderful job keeping the plotline moving without it being overwhelming.

I had received a copy of the book as part of the Celebrate Lit Blogging Team and was required to give an honest review.

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!