Review: The Tournament of Ruses by Kate Stradling

Book Blurb:

Flora Dalton wants nothing more than a quiet life in the countryside of Lenore, but her father's promotion to the Parliament of Lords has uprooted her and planted her smack in the middle of a mess. Not only must she adjust to a new home, a new city, and a new circle of friends, but she also gets to endure a whole country gone mad with excitement: the Eternal Prince of Lenore—their famed and fabled protector—has decided at long last to take a consort! Rumor says he's going to marry the Prime Minister's daughter, Viola Moreland, but the lords have petitioned him to consider each of their daughters in turn, and that includes poor Flora. Against her wishes she must navigate a sea of scheming females in a laughable tournament of feminine graces, even as deathly shadows encroach upon her doorstep. For while most everyone is fixated on the Eternal Prince's love life, something much more sinister is afoot in Lenore, and Flora happens to be at the very heart of it.

Author Bio:

Kate Stradling received her BA and MA in English. She is a language-structure junkie. She works as a freelance technical and developmental editor and has published five novels in the fantasy spectrum. Her sixth novel, The Legendary Inge, framed on the Old English epic Beowulf, will be released in Summer 2016. She is a native of Mesa, Arizona.

 You can find this fabulous author here:
Website: http://katestradling.com/books/
Twitter: @katestradling
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Kate-Stradling/e/B00J7Y9RMC/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1

My Review:

I actually won this book back in February, at the ANWA Conference. In all the hustle and bustle of coming home, it some how got lost in the disaster I call home. On Friday I happened upon it, and snagged it as my boys hauled me out of the house for a fishing trip. 
This book is instantly engaging, as it takes you into world that feels slightly regency era, but more so incredibly unique. As the reader you will instantly feel bad for poor Flora as she suffers through this life that is nothing like she'd ever wanted for herself. Then when magic is introduced... hold onto your socks ladies and gentlemen! There are so many fantastic twist and unexpected turns, I could barely put the book down! As it is, it only took me about 12 hours to devour the entire thing.
There is a book that comes before this one, called Kingdom of Ruses, but as the author so kindly informs us in the preface, you do NOT need to read it before diving into this one. I completely agree that while it's a sequel it also works FABULOUSLY as a stand alone. I want to read the first book, purely because of how much I adored Author Kate Stradling's world that she has created.
The only thing I can say, is I wish that this amazing book had an equally amazing cover. I'd never expected such a dynamic, magical book to be encased in something so simple.
Regardless, I give this book an easy 5 STARS!!!

I highly recommend you grab a copy today!!!

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Tournament-Ruses-Kate-Stradling/dp/1500161055/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1430752959&sr=8-1&keywords=kate+stradling