Foul captains and dreaded pirates hold the coastal ports of the realm hostage, bringing all trade to a halt. Amidst the turmoil, news of a Golden Prince commanding the black fleet is whispered in fearful tones within the bars and taverns of Trierport.
Refusing to witness her life of luxury being imperilled, Juliette Contzen, 3rd Princess and even more begrudging adventurer, valiantly strives forwards to defend her kingdom’s profit margins.
Honestly, I thought the princess (Juliette) was a bit dense in the first couple of books (ok, she might be). But now I can see she's a genius in disguise. Every part of her life is viewed through the prism of "princesshood." Truthfully, I think her world is harsh and unforgiving, even as she takes full advantage of all her privileges due her rank. She really is a badass of the highest order, who is on a Royal Mission to clean up the Kingdom and increase taxable income. Mostly to avoid matrimony, but hey! whatever works.
Laugh out loud funny, lots of memorable characters, and a nicely fleshed-out world. Well done!
Or, perhaps I should say, she *might* be a villainess, but she is also a pure joy to read about. These books are a simple, unadulterated delight! The plots are amusing, well structured and VERY entertaining, the characters are solidly written and mesh well together, and no detail gets left behind or forgotten. It all meshes like the intricate clockwork of the handmaiden Coppelia (who pretty much steals the show for me I must admit)
Anyway, 4th book, surely you know what you are in for by now? Hijinks, mayhem and sharply pointed humour that is both well observed and wryly self-observational, occasionally breaking the 4th wall in the very best ways. Prepare to be royally entertained (again)!
The same level of humor, the same quality of characters, the same pacing and fun storyline. This is every bit as good as the first book and I expect the next to be the same.
Certainly nothing to suggest treasonous nuns, doppelgangers and mad plots … yet. “Well, I’ve little doubt of my impending victory, but whatever lies ahead in the coming dawn, we shall face the challenges as we always do.” “... By eating crêpes along the way?” “What? No. That’s merely anecdotal. I mean we shall do it with dignity and grace, as befits our high purpose.” “We’re going to beat up a nun. I can feel it.”
I’m not big on recapping books… mostly because the stories from book to book get jumbled in my head.
I’m just here for Juliette, Coppelia and Apple. Coppelia has always been a favorite but now that I understand Juliette’s world view, she is an absolute delight. She leads the way to the next silly adventure! Coppelia is along for the show. I love her reactions to Juliette.
A fun read seeing which gardening method will be used next
A lovely continuation of the series. Juliette is haughty but still likable, and I enjoy being able to follow along even when I can only read a few pages at a time sometimes. I look forward to the next book!
It's really fun to meet Juliette's siblings. Even if only briefly. Her eldest sister being a bad-ass boxer is fun, but we'll get to spend more time with the middle sister soon, and that's definitely fun.