To Deceive a Kingdom ~ Review

To Deceive a Kingdom
A Princess & the Pea Retelling
(The Shattered Tales)

By Kathryn Radaker

Ceris never wanted to be a princess, much less pretend to be one. But an act of betrayal finds her in just such a position. Now her very good friend and member of the royal family, Evla, has Ceris caught in something she may not be able to get out of. How can she pretend to be a foreign princess who is come to work out the details of a royal alliance, so to speak, between the two countries? What's worse, she has to prove the power of her magic to even be considered worthy of this potential alliance. Ceris knows she doesn't have magic anywhere close to what a pure-blood, or near pure-blood, would possess. 

Aieldir is a disappointment to his family. As heir to the Lianthiran throne he is expected to be better than he is and expected to marry the expected Searon princess. When Evla manages to find the nearly drowned Searon princess, Aieldir is bothered by something. Something he can't quite place. But when he does, he'll be faced with a decision - reveal what he knows, bide his time, or help the "princess" in her efforts.

To Deceive a Kingdom is part of the Shattered Tales series and is based on the Princess and a Pea. This is a unique retelling in that the revelation of personal magic is the test. And what a series of tests for someone who believed she could not perform such tasks. I found this to be a good read as the story unfolded, I was drawn deeper into it. This was definitely a late-night type of book, which isn't so good when you have an early morning (as in before 5:00 a.m. with less than 2 hours of sleep), but it was so worth the late afternoon lag!  This was the first book I've read by Kathryn Radaker, and look forward to more stories from her in the future. Fae, magic, and secrets what could be better - a touch of romance, of course, all while facing insurmountable difficulties!

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

Magic is dying. Everyone is lying.

Ceris is quite content in her role as a horse trainer’s assistant by day and medicinal smuggler by night. But when one of her closest friends betrays her and draws her into a plot of her own, Ceris has to pretend to be a foreign princess to save her smuggling ring…and herself. She may have to go so far as to marry the prince if she can’t find a way out of her friend’s scheme.

Aieldir was born a reluctant secret-keeper and raised to be King of the Lianthiran Fae. But his kingdom’s magic is weakening, and rumors of revolt are circulating. As the heir to the throne, the burden to marry a powerful princess from Searon and secure his kingdom’s future weighs heavily on his shoulders. But when his mysterious “princess” shows up half-drowned, he soon suspects she’s not who she claims to be.

Will Ceris let down her wall of deception long enough to see the man beneath the crown? Can Aieldir possibly put his future—and his heart—in the hands of a fraud? Or will their schemes and secrets shatter their fragile trust, dooming their kingdom as well as their own happily-ever-after?