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The Chronicles of Royal High: The Lost Noble
In the world of Edenarth, faerie technology has advanced the realms immeasurably. Crystal ball communications, magic mirror displays, and portals for fast travels are just some of the things that faeries have engineered to allow for human consumption – at the right price, of course. Politically, countless kingdoms and realms vie for power and prestige. It is a world filled with mysterious mermaids, fearsome ogres and trolls, clueless humans, terrifying dragons, syndicates and pirates, faeries and magic.
In the realm of Kelemer, Adella lives a life of peasantry with her parents, always hiding from a shadow no one will name. One night, she is visited by a grandmother whom she never knew existed: Queen Cassandra Everheart, ruler of the kingdom of Adamaris, the neighboring ocean realm to the south. After years of hiding, Adella learns why her family has been hunted as Cassandra apologizes for banishing Adella’s father for marrying outside of the royal blood line. Adamaris has since been bereft of an heir, and with Adella being the rightful crown princess, she is presented with the choice to leave and attend Royal High, a finishing academy for royals.
Naturally, Adella is stunned, but reluctantly agrees, and soon finds herself in the halls of Royal High along side other young royals from across the realms. But a strange darkness haunts Adella in the shadows of the school, and through a series of increasingly threatening events, Adella finds that not everyone is as they appear in the world of royals. For under the surface of all kingdoms, a terrible and dark force is rising. An ancient race of dragons, once thought vanquished by five guardians of light, are fighting to break free from their thousand year exile.
Can Adella understand what her dreams are telling her before it is too late? Or will the darkness consume everything she loves?
In the realm of Kelemer, Adella lives a life of peasantry with her parents, always hiding from a shadow no one will name. One night, she is visited by a grandmother whom she never knew existed: Queen Cassandra Everheart, ruler of the kingdom of Adamaris, the neighboring ocean realm to the south. After years of hiding, Adella learns why her family has been hunted as Cassandra apologizes for banishing Adella’s father for marrying outside of the royal blood line. Adamaris has since been bereft of an heir, and with Adella being the rightful crown princess, she is presented with the choice to leave and attend Royal High, a finishing academy for royals.
Naturally, Adella is stunned, but reluctantly agrees, and soon finds herself in the halls of Royal High along side other young royals from across the realms. But a strange darkness haunts Adella in the shadows of the school, and through a series of increasingly threatening events, Adella finds that not everyone is as they appear in the world of royals. For under the surface of all kingdoms, a terrible and dark force is rising. An ancient race of dragons, once thought vanquished by five guardians of light, are fighting to break free from their thousand year exile.
Can Adella understand what her dreams are telling her before it is too late? Or will the darkness consume everything she loves?
413 pages, Paperback
Published February 6, 2018
28 people are currently reading
277 people want to read
About the author
R. Litfin
3 books52 followersHaving been born into a family of nerds from a slice of The Shire in Northern California, Rachel Litfin cultivated a love of all things fantasy from a very young age. Inspired by dressing up with her family at renaissance faires, to losing herself in Tolkien, to playing World of Warcraft into the wee hours of the morning, Rachel created the very beginnings of The Chronicles of Royal High in her freshman English class. You can find her today in the realm of Southern California, often adventuring her way through Disneyland, reading by firelight, swimming in the ocean like a mermaid, and, of course, writing about the many stories that exist within Edenarth.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
October 17, 2019
Actual rating: 2.5 Stars
I hate to be That Person, since it seems like everyone else really enjoyed this book, and so did I to an extent... but I am strongly of the mindset that liking something doesn't necessarily mean it's "good."
It may be that I was slightly confused about the premise of the book when it was described to me, but I was not expecting the setting to be as contemporary as it was, and I feel like this kind of setting has been executed better by other works I've read in the past. Many of the characters were fairly one-dimensional. There are bullies/generic bad guys, and there are the main character's friends and family who are, with rare exception, 100% supportive and nice to her and that's about it. I'm not knocking a good friend group, especially between female characters (seriously, where are all the female friend groups in YA?), but up to a point I felt that these characters were virtually interchangeable. I couldn't really tell you the difference between Blake or Shmitty, other than what locations they appear in, and I found myself forgetting Kate even exists. At least I liked Adella just fine, which is more than I can say for the protagonists of similar books.
All that aside, this book was entertaining. It was fun to read and clearly had genuine heart behind it. In my mind, it holds a lot of the same kind of over-the-top appeal of a Disney Channel Original Movie. Is it the best thing ever? Not to me, no. But it doesn't have to be to provide an enjoyable reading experience and I'm still glad that I picked it up. However, like a DCOM, I'd probably target it to a slightly younger audience than the YA crowd. I think a slightly younger audience of readers would appreciate the humor of the story (like characters saying "what the spell?" in place of "what the hell?") a lot more than the older crowd.
I hate to be That Person, since it seems like everyone else really enjoyed this book, and so did I to an extent... but I am strongly of the mindset that liking something doesn't necessarily mean it's "good."
It may be that I was slightly confused about the premise of the book when it was described to me, but I was not expecting the setting to be as contemporary as it was, and I feel like this kind of setting has been executed better by other works I've read in the past. Many of the characters were fairly one-dimensional. There are bullies/generic bad guys, and there are the main character's friends and family who are, with rare exception, 100% supportive and nice to her and that's about it. I'm not knocking a good friend group, especially between female characters (seriously, where are all the female friend groups in YA?), but up to a point I felt that these characters were virtually interchangeable. I couldn't really tell you the difference between Blake or Shmitty, other than what locations they appear in, and I found myself forgetting Kate even exists. At least I liked Adella just fine, which is more than I can say for the protagonists of similar books.
All that aside, this book was entertaining. It was fun to read and clearly had genuine heart behind it. In my mind, it holds a lot of the same kind of over-the-top appeal of a Disney Channel Original Movie. Is it the best thing ever? Not to me, no. But it doesn't have to be to provide an enjoyable reading experience and I'm still glad that I picked it up. However, like a DCOM, I'd probably target it to a slightly younger audience than the YA crowd. I think a slightly younger audience of readers would appreciate the humor of the story (like characters saying "what the spell?" in place of "what the hell?") a lot more than the older crowd.
August 4, 2025
Girl drama and adventure! It was fun!
April 4, 2019
The Chronicles of Royal High, The Lost Noble is an enchanting novel. Fantasy and whimsy delight the pages with hints of pop and modernism. Think Meg Cabot’s The Princess Diaries but with the fantasy realm of Tolkien. We follow Adella Everheart as she journeys past her comforts and gets thrown into a high social status. The world Litfin created for her characters is just as captivating and has me wanting more material so i can better acquaint myself with the world of Edenarth.
This was definitely a book i could not put down and enjoyed thoroughly! I also struggle with a few learning disabilities such as dyslexia so i have a very hard time reading certain books and had no struggle or hardships reading her novel. In fact i am eagerly awaiting her next instalment for the series! I cannot recommend this book enough to the YA audience!!
This was definitely a book i could not put down and enjoyed thoroughly! I also struggle with a few learning disabilities such as dyslexia so i have a very hard time reading certain books and had no struggle or hardships reading her novel. In fact i am eagerly awaiting her next instalment for the series! I cannot recommend this book enough to the YA audience!!
October 21, 2019
I had the pleasure of meeting the lovely author of this book at a Renaissance Faire. It is a good book, it definitely got better near the middle. It would have been a lot better if it had been professionally--or even just by a friend-- edited. Grammatical mistakes break the flow of the story, but for being self published it wasn't bad.
All in all it was a fun, clean fantasy. There were clever inventions, good characters, funny dialogue, and just the air of a good fantasy. The ending was surprising in some ways, others I suspected. I will look out for the release of the second book.
All in all it was a fun, clean fantasy. There were clever inventions, good characters, funny dialogue, and just the air of a good fantasy. The ending was surprising in some ways, others I suspected. I will look out for the release of the second book.
December 14, 2021
It's almost good but not. I knew the big twist at the end from chapter 1. The characters are very one dimensional. Everybody is always smirking. On every single page, someone is smirking. It really gets on the nerves. People don't smirk that much. There are other expressions. One of the characters hurts his knee and can still dance really well but when there's danger it's oh no his knee he can't run.
Want to read
November 15, 2024This is not a full review. I read through the beginning of all 300 SPFBOX contest entries. This was a book I wanted to read more of.
A boy is tortured by an evil entity who feels he was betrayed in this dark, romantic teen fantasy.
There’s some kind of magical item at play in this prologue, and though our victim won’t reveal its location, that seems like an excuse for our slighted evil lord, only a few years older himself, to torture the poor boy.
This is melodramatic, stylistically overwritten, and thoroughly engaging. It starts in motion and stays in motion straight through the prologue.
It hints at much, making the reader wonder just how we got here and just what it’s all about. But there’s clearly history between the characters, and seeing how it unravels should be fun, especially for teen readers.
The romance is, I suspect, the girl our boy love who, thankfully, has not been rounded up by his torturer. If this is a girl saved price in dungeon story instead of the typical imprisoned princess trope, that would be a fun subversion.
I think the pace of this works in its favor. Perhaps it could have been tighter, but its opening is driven by dialogue and ghoulish imagery - at least suggested imagery. There are pained screams and torture devices, but this manages not to be very gruesome at all.
The comic-book-level heightened tone has made this opening stand out for me, along with the uniqueness of its fantasy elements so far. I would throw this at any young reader of fantasy and especially anime in a heartbeat. I’m in.
A boy is tortured by an evil entity who feels he was betrayed in this dark, romantic teen fantasy.
There’s some kind of magical item at play in this prologue, and though our victim won’t reveal its location, that seems like an excuse for our slighted evil lord, only a few years older himself, to torture the poor boy.
This is melodramatic, stylistically overwritten, and thoroughly engaging. It starts in motion and stays in motion straight through the prologue.
It hints at much, making the reader wonder just how we got here and just what it’s all about. But there’s clearly history between the characters, and seeing how it unravels should be fun, especially for teen readers.
The romance is, I suspect, the girl our boy love who, thankfully, has not been rounded up by his torturer. If this is a girl saved price in dungeon story instead of the typical imprisoned princess trope, that would be a fun subversion.
I think the pace of this works in its favor. Perhaps it could have been tighter, but its opening is driven by dialogue and ghoulish imagery - at least suggested imagery. There are pained screams and torture devices, but this manages not to be very gruesome at all.
The comic-book-level heightened tone has made this opening stand out for me, along with the uniqueness of its fantasy elements so far. I would throw this at any young reader of fantasy and especially anime in a heartbeat. I’m in.
August 10, 2024
2.5-ish. I felt this book has good bones, but the story was a bit all over the place for me with too many Subplots. I was interested in the mysterious opening chapter, but it never came back until the very end. I was also interested in the main characters mysterious potion skills , but those weren’t really discussed much either.
The book focused a lot on the high school drama, the scorned ex-girlfriend trope and the daily aspects of being in high school as a royal. I think as a reader in my mid 30s I was not able to really relate to the characters and nothing really stuck with me. I think this book would be great for young adult readers and people can relate to the characters.
As a sidenote, the overly descriptive text really took away from this book for me. I felt like half of it was just descriptions of what the sun looked like & how the skies felt. The word cerulean was used more than I cared to count. Every time a character was mentioned on the pages, their eye colors were always a heavy focus and just took me out of what was happening in the moment. I do like descriptive text, but it has its place.
Also, a really random chapter of the main character all of a sudden becoming a star player in disguise as a boy on the sports team was really miss placed and came out of nowhere. I thought it was an interesting chapter, but it could’ve been more gracefully worked into the story like so many other aspects. Once again great bones to the book, but it could really use some better pacing and organization of subplots.
The book focused a lot on the high school drama, the scorned ex-girlfriend trope and the daily aspects of being in high school as a royal. I think as a reader in my mid 30s I was not able to really relate to the characters and nothing really stuck with me. I think this book would be great for young adult readers and people can relate to the characters.
As a sidenote, the overly descriptive text really took away from this book for me. I felt like half of it was just descriptions of what the sun looked like & how the skies felt. The word cerulean was used more than I cared to count. Every time a character was mentioned on the pages, their eye colors were always a heavy focus and just took me out of what was happening in the moment. I do like descriptive text, but it has its place.
Also, a really random chapter of the main character all of a sudden becoming a star player in disguise as a boy on the sports team was really miss placed and came out of nowhere. I thought it was an interesting chapter, but it could’ve been more gracefully worked into the story like so many other aspects. Once again great bones to the book, but it could really use some better pacing and organization of subplots.
January 11, 2021
This book was pretty fun to read. Definitely the light-hearted read I needed after the last book I read.
The Lost Noble is the first book in the Chronicles of Royal High series, and is about the story of a girl named Adella Redding, who is suddenly thrust into Royalty when her grandmother makes a visit to their family to reveal her father's hidden past and her responsibilities as the next heir to the throne of Adamaris. Learning that her last name is actually Everheart, she joins her grandmother to enroll in Royal High, a high school for royals.
Although just a little younger than my tastes for my usual YA reads, this was still pretty fun. And it definitely hooked me once I got past the hundred page mark. Adella is a funny protagonist, who is sassy and fun. She is also struggling to get over her heartbreak of her ex-boyfriend Prince Brogan, a boy she had dated when she was living as a commoner.
I enjoyed her two different friend groups, although we didn't get to see as much as Raena as much as we did see Shmitty. I did really like her friendships that she made with Jason and Black after she enrolls in royal high, and I also liked that Rachel (the author) didn't play into the trope of having our main character live/room with the mean girl. That was honestly pretty refreshing.
I definitely recommend this as a very fun young adult fantasy, especially if you're wanting to get into self published authors.
Update 1/10/21: Upon reflection I’m bumping this up to a four stars, this was really enjoyable and I’m definitely going to continue on with the series.
The Lost Noble is the first book in the Chronicles of Royal High series, and is about the story of a girl named Adella Redding, who is suddenly thrust into Royalty when her grandmother makes a visit to their family to reveal her father's hidden past and her responsibilities as the next heir to the throne of Adamaris. Learning that her last name is actually Everheart, she joins her grandmother to enroll in Royal High, a high school for royals.
Although just a little younger than my tastes for my usual YA reads, this was still pretty fun. And it definitely hooked me once I got past the hundred page mark. Adella is a funny protagonist, who is sassy and fun. She is also struggling to get over her heartbreak of her ex-boyfriend Prince Brogan, a boy she had dated when she was living as a commoner.
I enjoyed her two different friend groups, although we didn't get to see as much as Raena as much as we did see Shmitty. I did really like her friendships that she made with Jason and Black after she enrolls in royal high, and I also liked that Rachel (the author) didn't play into the trope of having our main character live/room with the mean girl. That was honestly pretty refreshing.
I definitely recommend this as a very fun young adult fantasy, especially if you're wanting to get into self published authors.
Update 1/10/21: Upon reflection I’m bumping this up to a four stars, this was really enjoyable and I’m definitely going to continue on with the series.
January 4, 2025
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
A Magical Adventure That Captivated Me From Start to Finish
The Chronicles of Royal High: The Lost Noble by R. Litfin completely swept me off my feet! From the first chapter, I felt like I was stepping into another world—a world full of magic, royalty, and secrets—and I didn’t want to leave.
The main character’s journey is so easy to connect with. They’re not just battling mystical forces but also figuring out who they are and where they belong. That mix of epic fantasy and personal growth made the story feel so real, even with all the magical elements.
And can we talk about Royal High? The setting is incredible! R. Litfin’s descriptions brought every scene to life—I could practically feel the enchantment in the air. The relationships in the story, whether friendships, rivalries, or romantic moments, felt genuine and added so much depth to the plot.
The twists and surprises? Wow. Just when I thought I knew where things were going, the story took a turn that had me flipping pages late into the night.
If you love fantasy with a lot of heart, a strong message about finding your place, and characters that stay with you long after the book is over, this is for you. Honestly, I couldn’t put it down, and I can’t wait to read more from R. Litfin.
A Magical Adventure That Captivated Me From Start to Finish
The Chronicles of Royal High: The Lost Noble by R. Litfin completely swept me off my feet! From the first chapter, I felt like I was stepping into another world—a world full of magic, royalty, and secrets—and I didn’t want to leave.
The main character’s journey is so easy to connect with. They’re not just battling mystical forces but also figuring out who they are and where they belong. That mix of epic fantasy and personal growth made the story feel so real, even with all the magical elements.
And can we talk about Royal High? The setting is incredible! R. Litfin’s descriptions brought every scene to life—I could practically feel the enchantment in the air. The relationships in the story, whether friendships, rivalries, or romantic moments, felt genuine and added so much depth to the plot.
The twists and surprises? Wow. Just when I thought I knew where things were going, the story took a turn that had me flipping pages late into the night.
If you love fantasy with a lot of heart, a strong message about finding your place, and characters that stay with you long after the book is over, this is for you. Honestly, I couldn’t put it down, and I can’t wait to read more from R. Litfin.
June 30, 2021
This book had me hooked from the prologue and I couldn't put it down! The writing is beautiful and the world is similar to ours, but magical items replace everyday things (a crystal instead of a cell phone). The descriptions were fantastic and I felt like I was in the world with Adella and her friends. There were a few slow parts, but they seemed short and rare. This is a great debut!
The only thing that prevented the book from being 5 stars was the errors. I've read books that have a lot more errors than The Lost Noble has, but there were still enough that I felt they distracted me from the storyline. However, I still want to live in the world that Ms. Litfin brought to life and I very much look forward to reading the next book in the series and hope that there will be more in the future!
The only thing that prevented the book from being 5 stars was the errors. I've read books that have a lot more errors than The Lost Noble has, but there were still enough that I felt they distracted me from the storyline. However, I still want to live in the world that Ms. Litfin brought to life and I very much look forward to reading the next book in the series and hope that there will be more in the future!
February 21, 2022
I was nervous reading this book as I am not one that is interested in tradition type fantasy let alone a fantasy series. I prefer things that are a bit more dystopian with immediate stakes that have me ask questions constantly. So reading CORH was a BIG shift in my reading style, but one I truly enjoyed!
The characters are relatable, expressing their feelings and thoughts clearly. It was also written in such a way that I could envision everything as I read it I have said this so many times, and will continue to say it, this book reads like a movie!
This was an easy and fun read! Lots of tongue in cheek references like using modern technology tropes with a magical twist! Some of my favorite are scroll messages and the "FNN" or Fairy News Network. It's clear this book was setting up a whole new story that has yet to be unfolded in the series and I can't wait to read the rest of it.
The characters are relatable, expressing their feelings and thoughts clearly. It was also written in such a way that I could envision everything as I read it I have said this so many times, and will continue to say it, this book reads like a movie!
This was an easy and fun read! Lots of tongue in cheek references like using modern technology tropes with a magical twist! Some of my favorite are scroll messages and the "FNN" or Fairy News Network. It's clear this book was setting up a whole new story that has yet to be unfolded in the series and I can't wait to read the rest of it.
June 19, 2025
While the premise is similar to The Princess Diaries (normal girl finds out she’s secretly a princess and has a prim and proper grandmother), I would say the vibes of this book are actually much more like one of Anne Hathaway’s other best movies: Ella Enchanted. The vibes of The Lost Noble are not like the vibes of the book, Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine, but they are very similar to the vibes of the movie. It’s a fun mix of medieval and modern with swords and queens and kings, but also with shopping malls and crystal balls that are suspiciously like cellphones and magic mirror television. Whatever subgenre of fantasy that Ella Enchanted and Shrek fall into, that is where The Lost Noble belongs as well and I love that.
You can read my full review on my blog, here: https://ohmybookishness.weebly.com/bl...
You can read my full review on my blog, here: https://ohmybookishness.weebly.com/bl...
September 28, 2021
This was a fantastic read! Litfin created a fantasy world I would like to join. I liked how it was a bit modern too. (Like using a crystal ball instead of a cell phone or saying "What the spell" instead of "What the hell"). I can't wait to read book two. I'm glad I found her at the renaissance faire in Shasta County. Listening to her talking about her books is what sold me. She has a lot of love and passion for her novels. I highly recommend her books especially for young readers too.
April 6, 2023
Lost Noble is a smooth read that moved quickly. With fun characters and great setup, I immediately opened Dragon’s Wrath after finishing.
It’s a slice of life sword and sorcery high school adventure with a flavor of romance that turns to a more epic fantasy at the end. Alchemy, sword fighting, dragons, magical fey, romance, and good vs evil lore packaged in a young adult writing style. Can’t wait for more of Adella’s adventures into the Radiance!
It’s a slice of life sword and sorcery high school adventure with a flavor of romance that turns to a more epic fantasy at the end. Alchemy, sword fighting, dragons, magical fey, romance, and good vs evil lore packaged in a young adult writing style. Can’t wait for more of Adella’s adventures into the Radiance!
November 14, 2025
I almost quit this novel at the start, because of some pretty graphic violence. However, I did keep reading, and am intrigued enough to have ordered the sequel. It is definitely YA, with lots of teen angst and trying to fit in. There are certain scenes which make me cringe when Adela, the main character, makes a foolish choice. However, I force myself to recall those awful teenage years, and end up being fairly sympathetic,
It is not great literature, but it is an entertaining YA novel.
It is not great literature, but it is an entertaining YA novel.
January 13, 2022
This is a fun read. Its very creative and has a nice blend of modern tech and magic made to look like it belongs in the story. The adventure is is worth sticking around for even if the beginning seems slow but every good story needs a decent amount of immersive world building. Definitely a good book to add to your collection.
June 5, 2022
This book would really appeal to the YA readers. It's a fun and entertaining fantasy about a Lost princess, who is regaining her place in the palace, and it's thrust into the high school for royals. I would have liked to have seen a little more depth of character but the plot moves nicely, the world-building is excellent and it was an entertaining read.
March 27, 2025
Shout out to R Litfin! An absolutely stunning story that had me on the edge of my seat. A cliffhanger that leaves me wanting to ignore my real world responsibilities to dive right back into Adella Everheart's world. Fans of fantasy novels and royal intrigue will do well to check out this book! I can not wait for the next book. Bravo!!!
May 21, 2025
Um, still thinking about that ending! Phew. Had an inkling that something twisty would come up at some point.
I enjoyed the ride on this! Look forward to reading the next two as well.
While I struggled to get into it at first with the mash up of timeframes and lots of adjectives (I read many books at once and that might’ve been part of my issue) I did get into the swing of the writing style.
I enjoyed the ride on this! Look forward to reading the next two as well.
While I struggled to get into it at first with the mash up of timeframes and lots of adjectives (I read many books at once and that might’ve been part of my issue) I did get into the swing of the writing style.
June 5, 2019
Fun Read!
Great as a fun read for someone who would rather spend a bit of time lost in a written fantasy world instead of a television show! Can't wait to read the next part of the story!
Great as a fun read for someone who would rather spend a bit of time lost in a written fantasy world instead of a television show! Can't wait to read the next part of the story!
September 25, 2023
I haven’t actually read this yet but I saw this author at a ren faire and thought it would be fun to get a signed copy. This self published paperback was $27?! Better be the best book I’ve ever read 🙃
March 19, 2024
I struggled a bit to finish this. It just seemed to not be filled with enough action. I didn't have the desire to come back to see what was happening next. It was kind of a bit too much princess diaries but a different setting. It wasn't my cup of tea, but it could be someone else's.
March 16, 2018
Litfin has done a fantastic job for her first novel! I couldn’t put it down and I can’t wait to see what else she has in store!
May 24, 2018
I loved this book. I read it in two days.💖💖 Give it a try and you will be hooked.😎
November 25, 2020
R.Litfin is a amazing author, if you are looking for a great read check out this book. The Lost Noble is amazing
October 6, 2023
Someone described this book to me as "if dungeons and dragon's was a CW show" and I was sold. Super fun.
Read
March 4, 2024Good for plot. Definitely geared toward a teenage audience, but that doesn't deter from the fantasy element. ZERO spice, and a great read for young readers!
September 3, 2024
I got this book at Gen Con 2024 and have absolutely loved reading it! I can't wait to start the next book. ❤️
September 6, 2024
Super good!! I can't wait to read the next one, I'm hoping she's at the con again so I can get it directly from her!
December 2, 2024
This was such an enjoyable read; I love the characters, the world, and the pacing is perfect.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews