Waiting on Wednesday: Royal Bastards

~ Beth (Reading Every Night)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event which aims to shine a light on eagerly anticipated upcoming releases.

Royal Bastards by Andrew Shvarts
Release Date: May 30th 2017

Royal Bastards

Being a bastard blows. Tilla would know. Her father, Lord Kent of the Western Province, loved her as a child, but cast her aside as soon as he had trueborn children.

At sixteen, Tilla spends her days exploring long-forgotten tunnels beneath the castle with her stablehand half brother, Jax, and her nights drinking with the servants, passing out on Jax’s floor while her castle bedroom collects dust. Tilla secretly longs to sit by her father’s side, resplendent in a sparkling gown, enjoying feasts with the rest of the family. Instead, she sits with the other bastards, like Miles of House Hampstedt, an awkward scholar who’s been in love with Tilla since they were children.

Then, at a feast honouring the visiting princess Lyriana, the royal shocks everyone by choosing to sit at the Bastards’ Table. Before she knows it, Tilla is leading the sheltered princess on a late-night escapade. Along with Jax, Miles, and fellow bastard Zell, a Zitochi warrior from the north, they stumble upon a crime they were never meant to witness.

Rebellion is brewing in the west, and a brutal coup leaves Lyriana’s uncle, the Royal Archmagus, dead—with Lyriana next on the list. The group flees for their lives, relentlessly pursued by murderous mercenaries; their own parents have put a price on their heads to prevent the king and his powerful Royal Mages from discovering their treachery.

The bastards band together, realizing they alone have the power to prevent a civil war that will tear their kingdom apart—if they can warn the king in time. And if they can survive the journey…

It was the title that first drew me to this book, but the second I read the blurb I was hooked. Royal Bastards already has some amazing and glowing pre-release reviews, and from the sounds of it it’s going to be a book I write an amazing and glowing review for. The only thing I’m not too sure on is the cover, it’s nice don’t get me wrong, but it wasn’t really enough to catch my eye.

What do you think of Royal Bastards? Is it a must on your to-read list, or are there any other books you can’t wait for the release date of? Let me know in the comments and let me know if you took part in this week’s Waiting on Wednesday as well.

32 thoughts on “Waiting on Wednesday: Royal Bastards”

  1. This book is giving me Game of Throne vibes and I am immediately adding this to my TBR! I agree that the cover is off-putting but the blurb and the love that it is getting is definitely worth the read! Amazing pick Beth!

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    1. Ohh, now you mention it yeah I’m getting Game of Thrones vibes as well, which only makes me more excited for its release. If the cover was better I would be even more excited, as is the blurb is enough to get me to pick it up! 🙂
      Thanks so much. 😀

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  6. The cover IS a little bland but the premise certainly is not. This sounds like a wonderful adventure. I haven’t heard of it until now but I’ll be keeping my eye out for it. On my TBR list it goes haha. Nice pick this week, Beth! 😀

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    1. Yeah despite how bland the cover is I don’t think the story will end up being the same way. It sounds amazing.
      I only discovered it recently myself but I’m excited for its release. Glad to hear you are as well Azia, and thanks so much! 😀

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  8. I hadn’t heard of this one before but I’m officially intrigued! Sounds like it’s going to be an interesting play on the whole royalty aspect. Kind of like an underdogs type of story. Whenever I first saw the cover on your post it actually reminded me of Legend by Marie Lu for some reason. I guess just because of simple colors and metallic words? Anyway! I will definitely have to add this one to my TBR. Great pick for this week, Beth!! 😊♥

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    1. Ohh, in that case I’m glad I could introduce this book to you Melissa! 😀 It does sound interesting, and certainly a different take on stories featuring royalty which I’m interested in.
      I didn’t actually think of that but now you’ve mentioned it I can see the similarities between the two covers. I just wish the cover for this one was more dramatic you know?
      Thanks so much Melissa! 😀 ❤

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      1. Definitely, we usually see the whole royalty thing from either the aspect of someone who is or someone who finds out they are rather than the way those one is going to showcase it.
        I get what you mean. I think a more dramatic cover would be better too. Might fit better with the synopsis and catch more people’s eyes.
        You’re welcome, Beth!! 😁♥

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      2. Yes that’s exactly it, I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that features characters that are both royalty but at the same time so far away from it.
        You never know, this may be a book/series that has a cover change after the first book is released! 😀

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  10. I was also drawn to this book when it first hit NetGalley cuz of the Blurb & NOT the cover lol. However, this being a few months back I did not get an approval so yeah 😂😂😂 I hope it’s a winner though & that it has a cover change because it’s def not the only book with a Throne pictured on the cover but it’s my least fave design 😦 great pick this week Beth! 😃💕

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    1. Well at least the blurb still interested you either way, although it’s a shame your request wasn’t approved. I would have been interested to hear what you thought of it before it was released! 😀
      Actually yeah, I think when I first saw it on GR I thought it was another book because of the cover, definitely not what they were going for with this one I think. 🙂
      Thanks so much Lilly! 😀 ❤

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      1. That’s alright, I’ll probably have another shot at it come Bookcon next month but we’ll see. I actually came across another cover for it that looked slightly better but can’t remember where that was. Hope it’s a good one 😉

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      2. Ohh, Bookcon sounds amazing. I hope you have a great time there (and you’ll have to share loads of photos of your time there and your haul to make me really jealous! :D)
        Another cover would be brilliant, but either way I have it on my to-read list so a better cover would just be icing on top of the cake you know? 🙂

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