Read This F@!%ing Book (47)

Welcome to a feature we're going to post on Mondays called:

 

Read This F@!%ing Book!

This is a feature for us to push our favorite reads that just aren't getting enough attention! 

We're also opening it up to anyone who would like to guest post. Do you have a book that you just LURVED but feel like it's not getting the play it deserves? Email us to let us know and we'd be THRILLED to have you post about it here! Especially if its something we haven't reviewed yet - that's even better (but not necessary)!

If you're interested email Goldilox3weres@hotmail.com

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  This week's post comes from our very own: 
Gretl!

Read This F@!%ing Book Post 47: Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho

It's been a while since we featured a new release or, for that matter, a single book rather than a series on Read This F-ing Book, but Sorcerer to the Crown came out a few weeks ago and really made an impression on me. So I thought I'd share my thoughts.

Something for everyone
I'm not a big fan of Historicals with their stilted language and puffy skirts, but I loved this book set in nineteenth century England. Sorcerer to the Crown hits a lot of the same notes as some of my favorite Steampunk series, despite its complete lack of dirigibles. In fact, it feels a lot like The Clockwork Dagger (which we loved, so that 's definitely a good thing.) Zen Cho imagines some wonderful magic, which was a fine substitute for those gadgets that I always rave about.

I think this is also a perfect book for fans of YA. (It may be too violent for very young readers though.) It features a nineteen year old heroine who discovers shocking news about her parents and goes on to shock society. There's a romance but it's very subtle, and chaste even by YA standards.

And if you happen to like the Regency era language and balls with all those puffy skirts, you'll find that here as well.

Politics
The hero Zacharias gets caught up in a political battle with the British government on one side and the Fairy Court on the other. Cho treats the Fae as if they are any other country. They use magic like another country would use oil, threatening an embargo to get their way. I always love supernatural politics, but this idea of the supernaturals participating in human politics is even better.

I also loved that the hero and heroine, both people of color, challenged race and gender conventions without making feel beaten over the head with a message.

Dragons!
I loved the variety of Fae creatures in this world and the fact that they were more or less out in the open. I don't want to name all of the wonderful magical creatures in Sorcerer to the Crown or the role that most of them serve. That would require lots of spoilers. I will say that there are dragons since you meet one early in the book. (There's even one on the cover.)  And if you read it just for the dragons I don't think you'd be disappointed.

Read my review on Goodreads.

 

Have you read this book?

Did we persuade you to add it to your TBR mountain?

Let us know in the comments below!