Щит магии

Shielded #1

by KayLynn Flanders

Королевство Халенди в опасности. На его границах идет война, а среди придворных зреет заговор и ходят слухи об угрозе, которая страшнее сражений. Младшая дочь правителя, принцесса Дженесара, лишена магии, но прекрасно управляется с мечом. Она мечтает отправиться на передовую и защищать свое государство. Однако у ее отца другие планы. Девушка должна оставить дом и выйти замуж за принца соседнего королевства, чтобы подарить мир своему народу.
Едва покинув дворец, Дженесара попадает в засаду и понимает, что слухи придворных не были ложью. Древнее зло проникло в самое сердце королевства и готово уничтожить не только ее семью, но и весь мир. Теперь юная принцесса должна рискнуть своей жизнью и разгадать тайну, способную спасти ее страну. Однако правда может быть слишком жестокой.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Young Adult Fantasy, Magic, Adventure, High Fantasy

480 pages, Hardcover

First published July 21, 2020

About the author

KayLynn Flanders is a graduate of Brigham Young University, with a degree in English Language and a minor in editing. When she’s not writing, she spends her time playing volleyball, reading, and traveling. She lives in Utah with her family, and thinks there’s nothing better than a spur-of-the-moment road trip. Her debut novel is Shielded. To learn more about KayLynn, go to kaylynnflanders.com or follow @kaylynnflanders on Twitter and Instagram.

Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another surprisingly amazing installment with its mind-bending, intriguing world-building, well-crafted character development, riveting story-telling, heart throbbing progression and satisfying ending! And let’s not forget to praise the brilliant illustration! Lately the covers of the books are breathtaking and thankfully there are such amazing artists out there to support fantastic reviews with their skilled imaginative minds!

I’m not gonna write a long review and take your precious time. I’m gonna summarize the facts why I liked the book so much:

Fact one: HEROINE: Jennesara is decent, trustworthy, likeable character. She is a princess and she is also warrior but she isn’t blood thirsty, looking for vengeance kind of heroine, not excessively badass, tough, wild, violent and obnoxious. She does not have a tragic background story, not suffering from any loss or dysfunctional family drama. Her father tells her to marry with the prince of Turia for benefiting the resources to save their kingdom and she happily obeys her father to save her family. Maybe you may misjudge her for not fighting her way out or blaming her not to have any trace of feminism in her system but she is a real sweetheart to sacrifice herself for the safety of her loved ones and her kingdom.

Fact two: BEAUTY OF ROMANCE: I don’t normally love insta love stories but romance parts of this book surprisingly warmed my frozen and cruel heart (daily I pour boiling water on it to feel something but neighborhood kids still call me Cruella de Vil)

Fact three: MOVING STORY-TELLING: Of course I enjoyed action-packed, moving, exciting and heart throbbing chapters which were truly unputdownable. Betrayal, lies, family ties intercepted with magic, fantasy and epic romance makes you sigh several times are tasty combination for any kind of readers’ dreamy books.

Only thing I didn’t like and resulted with cutting one of the stars was ULTRA FAST PACING! I normally enjoyed fast-pacing and I admitted too many times I’m not a big fan of slow burn fantasies. But in this book, you need extra time to absorb the whirlwind events because too many things happening at the same time and you want to take a break and slow your heart rhythm, feeling like just finished 5K marathon, breathing in and out to gather your senses. So I wish the pace could be a little slower or some of the actions could be saved for the second book.

But overall: it’s enjoyable, perfectly- written epic journey, mesmerizing you and captivates your focus, energy, soul and heart at the same time. At the end you keep smiling because you had great time during your reading and enjoy every second of the characters’ journey.
So I stick with my exhilarating, actin packed, entertaining, epic four stars! And I cannot wait to read the second book into my hands.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for sharing this fantastic ARC with me in exchange my honest review.

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[jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a very entertaining fantasy debut. its a classic tale of neighbouring kingdoms fighting an evil, ancient magic.

the character relationships reminded me of ‘the kiss of deception’ while the magic adventure reminded me of ‘graceling.’ on paper, its a pretty standard YA fantasy story, but i found it to be especially engaging. i really enjoyed the characters and their connections, the way the story unfolds is alluring, and the easy-going writing style makes this easy to binge read.

however, this book has one of my personal pet-peeves. i cant stand it when an author creates fake swear words in place of real ones. its so cringey and juvenile, especially when the made up language isnt used for anything else, just as a means to avoid “bad words.” either commit to actual swearing - im pretty sure teenagers can handle it - or just take it out completely if they really dont want to use it.

but that didnt stop me from having fun with this! looking forward to the sequel this summer!

↠ 4 stars

[megs_bookrack · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the kingdom of Halendi at war, and rumors of an even deadlier threat looming on the border, the King makes a deal for added protection.

The price is high, he promises his daughter's hand in marriage to the Prince of the neighboring kingdom of Turia.



With the engagement, Halendi will get the additional troops they desperately need to stage a better defense.

Princess Jennesara is disheartened to learn of her father's deal, which was made without her knowledge, or consent.



Jenna has a warrior's heart and she knows if given the opportunity, she could be an asset to her kingdom in battle.

Unfortunately, the King, as well as her beloved older brother, Ren, disagree. Therefore, Jenna's fate is sealed. She must head to Turia just after her 17th-birthday to meet her betrothed, Prince Enzo.



As the journey gets underway, all travelers are aware that a dangerous road lies ahead.

The group must pass through an area known as The Wild in order to reach their destination. Let's just say, it's aptly named.



After the traveling party is ambushed, Jenna is forced to flee into the deep of The Wild on her own.

Hiding her identity, she ultimately ends up in Turia, as a guest in the royal castle. What she learns there could be the key to saving not just her kingdom, but their entire world.



Settling in with Shielded, I was expecting a fairly typical YA Fantasy story. However, I'm happy to report, this far exceeded my expectations.

I really enjoyed the world-development and magic system. While Jenna initially seemed like the stereotypical, 'not like other Princesses'-Princess, I was able to overlook that because the underlining plot was so interesting.



The villains in this story, a trio of powerful ancient mages, were incredibly creepy and well imagined. Their abilities alone upped the stakes, as opposed to just one kingdom battling another.

I also liked how much of a role the royal library played in the story. Once her enemy is known, Jenna does a lot of research on the history of the mages to try to figure out how best to defeat them. I loved that element.

Give me all them books!!



Overall, I think this is a strong start to a new series. I am super happy with where this left off and the possibilities for the sequel.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Delacorte Press, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. Shielded is such a great debut and I look forward to reading more from KayLynn Flanders in the future!

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg! I got this book in my FairyLoot! I’ve wanted to read it! I love everything in my box! As usual, click under the picture to see all of the GOODIES!



GOODIES LINK: https://melissa413readsalot.blogspot....

This book!! It’s so damn good and my heart just broke. I also like to listen to relaxing epic fantasy music when reading lately. This music hit the mark on many parts. I’ll see if this link works to it.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6nRFaOF...

This book was everything! I fell in love with Jenna and her fierceness. I loved Ren and his loyalty. I loved Enzo and his devotion. I loved all of the characters immensely.

People I loved died. A war was waged, magic welded, revenge plotted. Will Jenna’s strength keep them alive. Will the rest of my loves make it out alive? I certainly hope so.

This book was refreshing and perfect for ME!



Happy Reading!

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾

BLOG: https://melissa413readsalot.blogspot....

[✨ Helena ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this complimentary ARC from the publisher, courtesy of NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

This is a 3.5 star rating rounded up to 4 because...Goodreads is allergic to half-star ratings, it seems.

So, this wasn't even on my radar this year. In fact, I hadn't even added it to my shelves until Laur bullied me into requesting the ARC xD ... but I'm so glad that I listened to her!!!

This was pitched as Furyborn (which I can't attest to, as I DNF'ed that :P) meets Sorcery of Thorns, but it was really more of a case of The Kiss of Deception meets Sorcery of Thorns (also both this and Sorcery of Thorns have GORGEOUS cover art!!!).

I can't even tell you why I enjoyed this so much. I really shouldn't have. It was rather predictable and the romance was rooted in instalove...but despite all that...I still had a grand time reading this. I completed this entire thing in one sitting - in a matter of hours - and it was so compulsively readable. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. I ended up loving the romance, the political intrigue, the familial relationships, the rumour of a hidden library, etc. In fact, there's very little that I didn't like! It just could've used a tad more development, considering how short of a book it was?

All in all, this was a VERY STRONG début novel. I can't wait to see how this duology ends, as well as the author's future ventures. I certainly enjoyed it. :)

[Renaissance Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

In the original mini-review I posted right after finishing this book, I compared reading Shielded to eating your favorite meal at a chain restaurant. For YA Fantasy fans, the flavors you expect are there so it’s fairly enjoyable, and there are even a few intriguing touches throughout the story; however, it ultimately doesn’t really offer anything new. That being said, if you’re looking to lose yourself in a typical YA Fantasy, you will likely enjoy this book.

Our 1st person POV protagonist, Princess Jennesara of Hálendi, or “Jenna”, is a refreshing YA heroine who is level-headed and thoughtful, calculates risks before taking action, and proves herself a kind person and a good friend. I didn't believe she had "skills on the battlefield" as the book’s blurb and first couple chapters imply because, until this story, she has never seen combat before. But overall she is likable as our narrator.

Like Jenna, Crown Prince Enzo of Turia has some similarly refreshing qualities for a YA prince. He isn’t broody or cold, nor is he always rambling about his duty or honor or something else YA princes usually sulk about. He’s kind, brave, and protective of his family. His romance with Jenna is sweet, and we get the fun hidden identities trope; however, their love story didn’t have enough chemistry to make my heart swell or inspire me to pause mid-paragraph to press the book (or in this case, my Kindle) to my chest and smile with glee. There are elements of insta-love, and the romance seems like it’s handed to the characters instead of something they worked for. On the bright side, there is not a love triangle in this story!

Of our cast of side characters, my favorite is Jenna’s elder brother, Prince Ren. He is the Hálendian crown prince who uses his magic not for power or for war, but as a healer. He and Jenna have a close bond, literally and figuratively, which KayLynn Flanders develops very quickly but very efficiently early on in the book. This makes it easy to root for their sibling relationship, and although Ren isn’t in the story very much, he shines when he does make an appearance.

Otherwise, I can’t say much more about the other side characters. We have the older mentor figure who trains Jenna to use her magic, the lovable bodyguard, the creepy and mysterious foreign ambassador, the cantankerous grandmother, and a couple “surprise” betrayals. Jenna’s friendship with Princess Chiara is endearing but not too memorable, and Princess Marietta is supposed to be eight years old but reads much younger, like she’s four or five. The Turian king and queen are strangely quick to trust Jenna and welcome her into their home, despite the fact that they don't really know her and war was just declared between their kingdoms.

Then we have our big baddie, Graymere, and his posse of evil mages. Unfortunately, these villains were the weakest of the bunch for me. Not only are they one-dimensional, but their names are contrived to the point of being a bit comical (Graymere, Redalia, Brownlok…). Their magical abilities, as well as their backstories and motivations as followers of the original Black Mage, are underdeveloped and actually became quite muddled over the course of the book. There was nothing unique or particularly frightening about them, even with some spooky shadow magic sprinkled in.

Additionally, throughout the book the author includes small cutaway scenes in 3rd person POV to show what the villains are up to. Flanders’ intention, I believe, was to create tension with dramatic irony while taking the opportunity to explore the villains’ motives and provide worldbuilding on the history and magic system. If you’ve read my other reviews, you’ll know I’m generally not a fan of authors’ inserting cutaways between chapters like this, as it’s incredibly jarring and pulls the reader out of the story. This was definitely the case with this book, especially since the POV changed from 1st to 3rd, and in my opinion the book would be stronger without these scenes. Authors, find a better way to weave important exposition into the mainframe of your story! It's a book, not a movie.

As for pacing, some parts of this book were a bit slow for me, while others had so much going on that I became a bit lost. The first 40% or so of the book, except for the best and most intense, emotional scene of the entire story around the 25% mark, consists mostly of Jenna traveling, with some magical worldbuilding and a medley of characters mixed in. By the time Jenna reaches her destination, I was so ready for something new to happen. Then, the rest of the book rapid-fire includes relationship building, flirtatious moments, political intrigue, an assassination attempt, combat training, researching in the library, a ball, a siege, a game of cat-and-mouse, an escape, a final battle, negotiations, and more. Also, somehow a lot of the book also entails Jenna getting injured, laying in bed and healing, then getting hurt and doing it all over again.

The magic system in this world is pretty loose and also a bit confusing. Some mages, like Jenna or Graymere, seem to have many different abilities, while others like Ren appear only to have a single power. Jenna’s magical artifacts were cool, but combined with all of her other half-baked abilities they lost their luster. I guess the book is called “Shielded” because one of her powers includes being able to shield herself and those near her from sight, like an invisibility spell? Did I miss something? Not to mention the magic emotional tethers that connect her to her family. There are so many elements to Jenna’s powers that just as she would begin to understand one aspect of them, something new would come up. Maybe this was Flanders’ intention, so we could feel Jenna’s confusion, but overall it was too much to take in. Also, I didn’t really understand why she wasn’t allowed to use magic or even reveal that she had powers at any point throughout the story? I know there’s a brief explanation at the beginning, but it didn’t heighten the stakes enough to make Jenna’s constant worry over concealing the streak in her hair believable.

Magic system aside, the worldbuilding in this book is just okay. Hálendi is a cold, icy northern kingdom that I think is supposed to be based on Scandinavia, but I’m not really sure. There is a magical forest through which Jenna has to travel to reach Turia. Turia is clearly Italy-inspired, from its geography, place and character names, and clothing, to the blatant use of Italian words in dialogue (“maledetto“, “bosco“, “cavolo“, etc.). I also have no idea what country or region Riiga is supposed to be based on – maybe Latvia? Flanders provides a solid base for this world, but I was still left with some questions.

I honestly did not expect this review to be so long! I clearly enjoyed this book to an extent, as I finished it in two days and had a lot to say. It’s a great read for anyone looking for an easy YA Fantasy story. Given all my issues with this story I don’t currently have plans to continue with the series, but overall I say Shielded is a decent debut with an absolutely gorgeous cover.

Thank you to Random House Children's/Delacorte Press via Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[J (Midnight Book Blog) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the beginning and end of this are two totally different books.

The first half of this book seemed like a really, really slow version of Shadow and Bone. Thankfully, once the setting shifted, things got a lot more interesting, and a lot less familiar. Once Jenna met Mari, Chiara, and Enzo, I actually found the book really enjoyable. I’m a sucker for found family tropes, and the relationship Jenna has with all of them was really sweet. The characters were definitely the best part, and I hope we get to see a lot more of them, with less of the filler/background in the next book. (Also, side note, I really loved the Italian elements thrown in, because I haven’t seen that done before in a book like this!)

The plot was just okay for me. There were parts that were confusing, and parts that were really predictable, which made for a bit of an odd mix. Although toward the end there was a nice little twist that I wasn’t expecting at all. I do wish that the in-between perspective chapters had come together quicker, as I had no idea what was happening in them for a while. The ending also felt a little strange, almost like a list of what was going to happen in the next book, but that’s being a little picky.

To sum up, this book didn’t have much that made it feel particularly new or exciting plot wise, but the character’s relationships seemed a lot more real than in other fantasy I have read. I really did find it likable though, and have higher hopes for the next installment.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ 3.5/5 stars (rounded down)
Pace: slow beginning, fast end
Intended Audience: Young Adult
Content warnings: murder, death of a family member, sexual assault

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*ARC received in exchange for honest review

[Ari · Rating 3 out of 5]

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Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte Press for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are mine.

"Magic, Jennesara, is not always predictable."

Now and again I enjoy a book despite the flaws that I see. Shielded is, in general, a passable read, but there's not a lot of depth to it. If you're looking for a novel with riveting characters, an absorbing story and immense growth throughout, then this is not the one for you. Most, if not all, remains at surface level.

The book's lead, Jennesara, is likable enough. I'm not sure why, exactly, her court in Hálendi had such a problem with her and found her to be so odd for a princess other than her penchant for doing her hair as simple as possible to hide her abilities (maybe because not a lot of time is spent in Hálendi before the story moves on), but this outright explanation for setting her apart from the “norm” of other girls, fell short. She can wield a sword well enough, and has been doing so since a young age, so that was fairly believable. She certainly gets knocked around and wounded enough times that I never thought her to be the Mary Sue of the brave fantasy female swashbuckler. But she certainly picks up fast on how to use a magic that's remained fairly sedate her whole life (magic, which, is a bit murky on its workings), and develops a few tricks along the way that come out of nowhere. She can be amusing, she's warm and brave, fairly intelligent, but at the end of the day she exhibits the typical signs of a character that can do almost anything put before her with minimal struggle or learning.

As we follow Jennesara along the world of Shielded after the initial incident in the novel that sets her life upside down, the setting began to evolve nicely. I was glad to see more of her surroundings, enjoyed getting to know the Wild and how it worked. Unfortunately, once Jennesara arrives in Turia—the land where her betrothed hails from, and the kingdom of the people supposedly causing war against Hálendi—she's shut up in the palace and other than the basic rooms that she visits, I never got to know more of the land. Whatever exploration the reader was lucky enough to embark upon, was abruptly cut off.

Her life in the palace moves from a suspicious outsider to a trusted guard in fast and less than credible circumstances. That's a theme, however. The ease with which people trust in this book baffles me. To the point where we're supposed to believe that the king of Turia—who we are told from the moment we meet him, is keen, and intelligent, and sees through lies—would allow someone from a nearby kingdom with whom relations are shaky, to meet with people plotting an obvious downfall in Turia, simply to not cause offense. That makes absolute sense. Let's allow people to plot right under our noses just so that we don't anger them, even though they're going to try to kill us anyway.

The romance featured was sweet, warm and at least did not develop so fast that it was instant. I am not a fan of romances that come to pass at the speed of light, but that's a very personal preference. Sometimes, I admit, it works in a story. Regardless, Teren/Enzo is what I would expect from a Prince Charming personality in a romantic relationship. He's brave, handsome, funny, strong and dependable, and from the moment that Jennesara sets eyes on him she's practically swept off her feet. You can't help but notice that this is the man that she will fall in love with, because the girl is absolutely smitten before we even know his name. It's “nice,” but it never set the pages aflame nor is it an epic tale to write home about.

That's the thing about the book as a whole: it's okay. There are evil mages who want to take over this world, and they go on a rampage of murder and hatred wherever they are, but there was no excitement to it. And though we're given quite a bit of background on how these mages came to be—sometimes background that became muddy and slightly confusing—the mages themselves, aside from the evil genius Graymere, are one-dimensional. Even Graymere remains outside of his core personality, aside from being the one to lead the others and thus have the obvious stronger role. That aside, the story is adequate, but it won't be a memorable read for me this year.

[Jade Ratley · Rating 3 out of 5]

6.86 on CAWPILE.

[Holly Hearts Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very simplistic but charming read. I enjoyed this. It reminds me of Throne of Glass and The Kiss of Deception in a way. The magic system captured my attention throughout the story and I really liked the different cultures described between the two main kingdoms, one is more snowy/cold with fair skin and light hair while the other is warm with bright colors, darker skin and darker hair but it’s not without its flaws.

The story is set at a cat and mouse pace. It’s a lot of hiding. Characters waiting out on enemies to leave. A chase happens and then more hiding again. Those chase scenes get your adrenaline pumping and it becomes a little unsatisfying reading a whole 2 chapters about the characters hiding in a fireplace. When there was a fight scene thrown in, it was written very well. I guess I wanted even more because of that!

There are also a couple infuriating plot moments. For instance, a character gets poisoned within the castle. The next day, the king, queen, heir, and most of the soldiers leave and they leave their two little girls alone... where there’s someone obviously very dangerous around.

I think this book is a good one to take a chance on because there’s a lot of good things going for it but it’s kinda like holding a juicy gummy bear, dropping it on the ground and having to pick off all the crustys.

[Lexi]

DNF @ 70%

Y'all, I cant with this book. I notice the top reviews are waxing over how incredible and beautiful this was- I can't. Did we read different books.

Imagine it- the most generic YA premise ever. A princess who is defiant and lives in a just sexist enough universe to be frustrating universe- but also not quite sexist enough to cause her trauma. She has magic, but its a secret! Forced marriage! Traveling! More traveling. More...wait...what?

So heres my issue with this one. It took until about 45% of the book for anything to happen. I mean it. I kept expecting to see plot movement of any kind, but theres more walking in this book than a Lord of the Rings Joke. Over half of this book is the main character moving forwards her destination, talking out her anxieties- and just when you think the story is about to begin...wait...it doesn't. Our Heroine finally makes her way to her destination (the plot) , where readers can be treated to her standing around, making friends. talking about her anxieties, sort of finding her betrothed to be kind of cute. Standing around...

And the characters aren't even interesting enough to stand around with. It's a series of generic, good natured folks with mild, milk toast personalities making surface level observations. If you are looking for character conflict, character development, character growth, or perhaps even actual characters- find a different book.

I was hoping maybe we would get a little court drama at least, but nope. I've never read a YA book and thought to myself "this is wordy and unnecessary complicated" until this day. I finally had to just cut myself free and DNF the book entirely. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone, unless you get really jazzed about NOTHING HAPPENING.

If someone can explain the early review hype to me, that would be great, because as another early reviewer, I am not in that camp. No thanks. One Star.

[Cindy ✩☽♔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating ~3.5

An entertaining, somewhat familiar, fantasy adventure.

The Main Characters: Let's start off by making it clear that while our heroine and hero are truly their character archetypes. If you're looking for more morally gray characters, you will not find that here. Like, at all.

Jenna is a likable heroine. She is strong, determined, loyal. And while she can certainty fight like a warrior, she is not prone to violence. All she wants is to be with her family, to serve her country. So, although she initially tries to fight it, she agrees to be sent off to wed a prince she has never met, for it means her kingdom will receive the help it so desperately needs.

Enzo/Teren is the nice guy of nice guys. He's kind and flirty with Jenna from the start, despite thinking she is no more than a servant tasked with and failing to protect his betrothed. He thinks critically and does not judge Jenna based on where she comes from, despite the looming threat of their nations going to war.

The Romance: Not going to lie, it comes on fast. Though, to be fair, it kind of feels everything in this book does. That being said, I'm not mad at it. Do I wish they'd had a bit more time and development? Sure. But that does not mean I did not thoroughly enjoy the bits we did get. It is in no way, some great, all-encompassing love that lights the pages on fire, but it was steady. They're sweet.

The Plot/Pacing: It felt like we were inching toward turbo speed at quite a few points. I enjoy fast-pacing, I really do. This, however, felt like a story that could have used a little more fleshing out. More time to establish relationships between everyone and their magical world. And maybe more time spent understanding why the villain, whose reveal was not all that surprising, felt the need to align himself with dangerous mages. I mean, did he truly think they would make him king? It seems naive, and from the bits we got of him he did not seem the naive sort.

Anyways, so while this story is in no way the most original thing out there. I found myself liking it all the same. It kind of like rom-com movie plots. In general, you know the formula, you have a pretty good idea of what to expect. The deciding factor at that point is whether or not the cast and chemistry shared among them work for you. And in this case, this worked for me.

So if you're looking for a pleasant, straightforward, light fantasy read, this might be the book for you!

I received a free ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Huge thank you to Delcorte Press for providing me with a copy to read and review!

[Alaina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

HOLY COW GUYS! I can't even comprehend what I just read. Wow, oh wow. Loved this book from start to finished and now I need to somehow cope with not being able to dive into the second book right now.

Seriously guys, Shielded was so freaking good. My love for Enzo and Jen will forever grow. I will admit the beginning was a little slow for me but after the first chapter, I was hooked. You couldn't pay me to put the book down because I just wanted to know how everything was going to go down.

So, a lot actually happened in this book. A lot more than I thought but it was still a really good book. I, of course, couldn't trust a lot of characters because some were acting so weird during random moments. Like why are you acting like this right now?? Ugh! It drove me nuts.. but then the ending made so much sense. My brain was like, "WOW ALAINA! JUST WOW!".

The characters, story building, action, and betrayal were all delicious. Heck, even the romance was likable. Wish I got more but I'm hoping I will be happy as a damn clam in the next book. Other than that, I'm trying really freaking hard not spoiling anything about this book. Just know that I loved it and I hope you all do to.

I seriously need the next book!

[AJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

”Dark triangle tops of evergreens framed the canvas of the sky. The stars were mere pinpricks of light, yet they bathed the world in their glory.”

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book in exchange or an honest review!

This is one of the best books I’ve read in a while. Amazing and interesting world building, unique magic, characters that are interesting enough for you to get attached to, a swoon worthy romance and action that will have you on the edge of your seat!

Jennesara was honestly an amazing main character. She wasn’t a damsel in distress, she wasn’t full of anger or rage from a troubled past, she was just a bad ass princess who could save herself and the people around her.

I felt the romance was beautifully written in the story. It wasn’t a slow burn but wasn’t too “insta-lovey” and it felt right for this kind of story.

The pacing was fantastic and I felt the story grasped my attention and interest from the very first chapter. There are some very action packed chapters that will seriously cause you to lose sleep, unable to put the book down! I’m very happy there is going to be more book(s) in this series and this was a fantastic way to start it off! I highly recommend everyone read this book.


5/5 🌟’s

[Taschima · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shielded is YA fantasy done right. I am so happy that the beautiful cover (which I definitely need in my bookshelf) matches the FANTASTIC story inside the pages. I love the characters, their relationships and development, the dialogue, the steady pace, the plot, the romance, and the world building. That's is 5 stars right there!

The heroine, Jenna, is both strong yet vulnerable. She is an eccentric princess who uses her brain in tough situations and doesn't take the easy way out. After a lot of bad things happen to her, one right after the other, she still manages to find her strenght within to keep her going. She is also a bookworm, in fact a lot of these characters are and I AM DOWN WITH THIS. We spend the entirerity of the first half of the book with basically only Jenna for company so she needs to be a pretty good character in order to shoulder the novel. We don't even get to meet the love interest until about 43% into the novel, and then when we do it is full steam ahead! I loved not only Jenna, but the side characters too like the prince of Turia and his entire family.

Some things were a bit convenient and made things a little more painless--the author could have made us suffer a lot more than she did (and she did make us suffer) but I am just grateful she made the decisions she did cause I don't think my heart could have taken much more hardship.

The romance is...JUST UGH SO GREAT. The characters work well as a team and support each other's endevours--a team that works well together is bound to make me happy. There is also a case of mistaken identity (well, a couple of cases of that) and it just makes the tension even better cause...



I love those. They just have this connection that is undeniable, but does not feel forced in the least. Feels completely organic and meant to be <3

The magic system is interesting. We have magical weapons and artifacts, a lost/hidden library full of treasures and knowledge, the race to uncover magical secrets...It is all very thrilling. The heroine is not well versed in the magic, and this is not a case in which she is totally OP (over powered). She has a decent magic source that she slowly learns how to use to her adevantage. The "rules" aren't many yet, for example I don't know the limits to the heroine's ability (what can she do, what can't she do) but I think, and hope, this is something that will be further explored in the sequel.

WHICH I CAN'T WAIT FOR if you haven't noticed.

A note on my previous update after reading the book:

BUT REALLY the braid is part of the secret keeping so I wasn't that far off with my orginal thoughts.

Previous update:

"An ancient evil, a broken kingdom,
and one girl with the secret to save the world."

Is the secret how to make a kickass braid? Cause If so, IM DOWN!

PS; I was provided a review copy in exchange for an honest review. Thanks go to the publisher!

[Zoeisbookhooked · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok so I read this for my first and last 24 hour readathon. I liked this book. It was average yk? A classic YA Fantasy.


🖤OVERVIEW🖤
Princess Jennesara discovers she is getting married to a prince (I forgot his name oops) on her birthday. She begins a long journey to his kingdom when they are attacked along the way. She was beginning training to become a warrior but she wasn’t prepared for this attack. All alone, she travels by foot to her fiancés kingdom, thinking her father and brother Ren are dead. When she reaches the castle she goes by a different name and ends up being her fiancé’s sister’s guard. Her and her fiancé end up falling in love while her prince assumes Princess Jennesara dead. Her kingdom and her fiancés kingdom are currently at war. But that’s not the only threat.

🖤REACH MY EXPECTATIONS?🖤
It was a tiny let down. It seemed like an epic story but it was just a classic YA Fantasy. I’ll most likely continue on w the series because the next book is two other people, whom I really liked, perspectives.

🖤CHARACTERS🖤
JENNA-She was a bit annoying. She didn’t do anything she just was a “I’m-a-classic-ya-Princess-who-wants-to-be-a-warrior-when-I-actually-threw-up-when-I-killed-a-man-so-I’m-actually-not-warrior-material” kinda person. Which did happen. But turns out she was poisoned so...
THE MAIN GUY- aw crap I forget his name. Well i guess that shows I wasn’t totally hooked. He was nice! I liked his character. He reminded me of a young Emperor Kai a bit.
REN- in a YA Fantasy, the girl usually has an older brother or a twin. They are usually annoying and ruin the story OR are super attractive and we love them. We love Ren ;)
THE SISTERS- SHOOT I FORGOT THE GUY WHOM I FORGOT HIS NAMES SISTER’S NAMES. But I’m obsessed with his little sisters! Both of them are adorable and so cute and are the reason I want to finish the series.

🖤REALATIONSHIPS🖤
Guy/Jenna- ugh no. Honestly I just don’t care for Jenna so that’s all.

Sister #1/ REN-OMG YESS IM HERE FOR IT

🖤CLIFFHANGER/ENDING🖤
I’m ready for the second book!! It was a classic ya ending but still somehow I want to keep reading them.

🖤FAV CHARACTER🖤
The sisters. The youngest one. Like ahh so cute!
I absolutely love that she had hidden nooks all around the palace stores w food and water and everything!

🖤PACE🖤
It was slow for me because I wasn’t totally hooked. And the chapters were long in my opinion😂 I love me a good short chapter.

🖤PLOT🖤
The plot is probably give a 4.5/10. It’s kind of unoriginal. Again it was a classic ya Fantasy.

🖤SEXUAL CONTENT🖤
There is only kisses and that’s it. Very clean.

🖤WRITING🖤
The writing was nice but it wasn’t my favorite.


I couldn’t be bothered to write a full review so sorry😂 Tell me if you liked this book or didn’t!!

[Sheena ☆ Book Sheenanigans · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Shielded” tells the tale of Princess Jennesara, who sent off to marry her betrothed, the prince of neighboring Turia, in exchange for resources needed to save her Kingdom and when she is in route, a surprise ambushed alters the course of her life forever. Filled with betrayal, world-building, romance, fantasy, magic, and strong family ties (surprising to say the least), the reader is thrown in epic adventure that will have you turning pages faster than you had ever imagined.

And let’s just say that during the course of the read, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this despite some flaws that typically turn me away *ahem*instant love*ahem* and minor weak heroine moments that had my eye twitching but rest assured, there is some decent character development and I am sure future installments will further empathize on that.

Nevertheless, “Shielded” helped guide me out of my funky reading slump so kudos to the author because you must be doing something right seeing how I would definitely consider this ideal choice for any reader looking to start 2020 in the right foot.

[Maeghan &#x1f98b; · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

There’s nothing actually wrong with this book, it’s a typical YA fantasy. Nothing stands out - but it was still likeable

[Jesse Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This. Was. EXCELLENT.

This checked SO many boxes for me.

Rich, dense character development.
Beautiful, accurate depiction of combat.
Refreshingly unique, believable magic system.
A heroine who is a TRUE FREAKING HEROINE, an embodiment of VALOR and GRACE. A leader, a nurturer, a fierce warrior in every way.
Just the cutest romance, so cute I didn't even care it was a little insta-lovey.

This was everything that I, as a lover of epic fantasy, truly adore in my books. I LOVE slow burn, slow buildup narratives that favor character development over plot driving. So readers who prefer a lot of events, a lot of things going on, a lot of arcs, might be disappointed or impatient because it does unfold a little slow and does have a single main point of view. But if you invest that time. I promise that you will be SHEDDING TEARS. The characterization and the relationships that form are just so expertly constructed you can't help but get attached.

I need more books like this.

I am dying to read the sequel!!

Thanks to netgalley for providing a digital copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

[maria ✦‧₊☽]

The cover calls me to read this book! 👁👄👁

[Christie«SHBBblogger» · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Shielded
Series: Shielded #1
Author: KayLynn Flanders
Release date: July 21, 2020
Cliffhanger: yes
Genre:YA fantasy

This book was everything I look for in a fantasy and more. This is such an exciting debut from new author, KayLynn Flanders! I can't get over the quality of the plot and characterization in this novel. I've read many books by seasoned authors that weren't even close to this caliber. I was particularly impressed with Jennesara, the main protagonist, and the way the intricate world was introduced without a dry and boring info dump. As the first in a series, many times you see the pace suffer for a good chunk in the beginning in order to explain the setting and often large groups of characters. That wasn't the case here, as I was engrossed immediately and thoroughly absorbed until turning the last page.

The book begins briefly in the heroine's home of Hálenborg as she's on the verge of turning seventeen. Her father has secretly betrothed her the prince of a neighboring kingdom in order to bolster their weakened defenses. There has been unrest at their borders from a mysterious source, and an alliance between Hálenborg and Turian would be beneficial to both kingdoms. Her father isn't cold or uncaring in trading his daughter for the good of his country, but unfortunately Jenna is not given more warning than a day before she must set out for her new home. Knowing how the marriage will not only help her family, but her people, she agrees without protest to do her duty. Her brother Ren sets out on the journey with her with his own mission, both armed with ancient magic artifacts gifted by their father for protection.

I loved the sibling relationship between Ren and Jenna. Her magical ability of feeling her loved ones' emotions through a "tether" gave her a special connection and closeness. The bond they had felt like that of twins and/or best friends. Her magical ability was different from many others I've read before. She could reach out mentally through their link no matter how far away they were to check on them. The downside was that she couldn't communicate her own back, and if the person died, she would feel pain from disconnecting to them. Jenna grew up hiding her ability in order to prevent any disputes over her brother being the rightful heir to the throne. Typically only the firstborn inherits magical powers, and it wasn't explained yet why this occurred. This is one point I'm looking forward to solving, possibly in the next book of the series. (It's unclear if this will be a duology or trilogy at this point.)

On the way to Turia, Jenna comes face to face with the kingdom's mysterious enemy and what she discovers is chilling. Not only does she have the fight of her life in front of her, she's unprepared and untrained to even attempt to take them on. She must escape completely alone, in a deadly, magical forest that plays tricks on your mind. She proves her courage time and again when faced with impossible challenges. All this while suffering hunger, pain, and trying to survive in unfamiliar territory. This is a strong heroine that anyone would find it easy to root for and love.

Throughout the story, you're gradually fed pieces of information about the history of the three kingdoms, their politics and players, and how a surprising power play effects all three. You learn the history of the banished mages, the Black Library, and a revenge plot that's been brewing for centuries. Jenna must keep her identity a secret in order to learn who she can trust in Turia as she hunts down answers about the enemy. Prince Enzo, his sisters, and grandmother have such a close relationship that she can't help but gravitate towards them. She tries to keep her distance emotionally, but she can't help but start to feel at home with them. There's a subtle romance that occurs, but it doesn't overtake the plot at any point. The focus was always on the fantasy while still satisfying this romance reader's heart.

Overall, Shielded delivered the goods, and I cannot wait to continue with the next installment. Of course there was a bit of a cliffhanger as you would expect, but it's not horribly suspenseful. I'm looking forward to seeing Jenna learn how to harness and practice her abilities further as she grows more confident in her power. We've only touched the surface in discovering what she is capable of, and I have a feeling that it's going to be thrilling to see her magic mature. If you're looking for a fantasy that will keep you feverishly turning the pages long into the night, look no further. Your next fantasy read is right here.

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[Aly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy crap I loved this! From the first chapter I was hooked and the whole book was fantastically written. Jennessa is a great character, she's a fighter and loves her family more than anything. Her adventure was so much fun and I liked the various friendships she made along the way. Enzo is a cutie and his sisters were fun characters. The world building was well done, I understood what happened without feeling overloaded. Great pacing and the romance was sweet. I can't wait for this to come out so the world can see how marvelous it is!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[laurel [the suspected bibliophile] · Rating 3 out of 5]

Princess Jennesara knows that she's just as good of a warrior as anyone else in her country's army, but her father refuses to send her to the front to fight. Instead, she's sent off without fanfare or warning to wed the heir of another kingdom—while her brother goes to the front and her father prepares for trouble at home. When her caravan is ambushed and her family killed, Jennesara knows that it's up to her to save her kingdom and uncover the truth.

This was an enjoyable, if pretty standard, YA fantasy. It's a solid YA debut, but I doubt that I will continue with the sequel, even for the hopes that the many unresolved plot threads will be tied up.

The first couple chapters felt a bit like Tamora Pierce meets Adrienne Young, which northern warrior kingdoms and a girl who wields a sword and wants to join the battle. However, from there the similarities to Pierce unraveled, as the worldbuilding in this was haphazard and sloppy.

There're three countries, a Continent or something that the three countries moved to several years ago (?), a Big Bad in the form of centuries old mages, and a great wood that both wanted to kill/protect Jennesara? I'll be honest, I skimmed through a lot of the worldbuilding because it felt so samesies and bare.

When Jennesara travels to through the great woods and lands in the foreign country, I had inklings of Goose Girl, particularly the scenes with the caravan and the ambush and her hiding her identity yet her lovely nature still winning her the boy. I also had hints of Crown Duel, with the boy and his guardian escorting Jennesara while hiding their true identity.

All this is to say—I felt the influences of many other YA books, but I didn't feel that this one stood up on its own. Which is harsh, because this was an enjoyable story. I enjoyed some of the characters, particularly the prince's sisters, and I appreciated that Flanders was ruthless enough to murder several key characters early on (fairly graphically, too), but it was still missing something.

I think my biggest problem were the random cutaways to the Big Bad. It wasn't necessary, nor was it done well. It added more confusion than not, and felt like a poorer version of the cutaways in Green Rider (see, another comparison!).

Is a good chunk of my annoyance stemming from the unresolved plot threads, the completely lackluster romantic interest, and whatever the fuck is happening with Jennesara's name (getting flashbacks to Renesmee, which is never a good thing).

Anywho, this is a solid debut and a good gateway to YA fantasy.

However, I recommend reading the influencing materials and skipping this book.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Children's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Summary: The kingdom of Hálendi is in trouble. Jennesara "Jenna" has magic, but has kept it a secret from everyone except her brother. He also has magic, but this is acceptable as he is in line to inherit the throne. Jenna's future is simpler, she is betrothed to a foreign king and must continue to keep her secret. But things are not always what they seem, and as she is on her way to this new land, she is ambushed and her future changed. Can she help stop the war, learn to understand her magic, and rise become what she has always wanted to be?

I DNFed this book shortly into it. I felt that, even for a children's fantasy, it was too simplistic. Nothing was left for us to figure out or learn along the way. On page one, we learn about Jenna's crush and her magic, and very shortly after we learn that she want to be a soldier but her father will not let her. Instead she is to marry a foreign king. At that point I knew this story had nothing special to offer me. Also, a large piece of information is happened upon my random chance in the first chapter, something that bothers me as a plot device.

The book cover and summary drew me into the story, and while the authors writing wasn't bad, the subject matter felt unoriginal and the story read like I was being told the information and not learning it along with the characters.

I think that this might be a good book for young 8-12 year olds first being introduced to fantasy, but after that it does not stand up to other books in the genre.

[Sarah {The Clever Reader} · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great YA Fantasy! I enjoyed the fast-paced action packed adventure.

Jenna is ambushed with a marriage she didn’t know about and then ambushed again on her way to meet the poor sap. She didn’t want to get married but understands that she’s not the heir and despite her wish to marry for love she is bound to follow what is expected.

When she’s ambushed on her way to meet her betrothed she finds out that the impending war is much worse than expected and now it’s up to her to save her kingdom and now she has the magic to do so. She’s a tough young woman who doesn’t let her circumstances keep her from her duty to her people. I really enjoyed her strength throughout the book.

I found Enzo very adorable and enjoyed watching him and Jenna fall in love. He has such a great supportive family which really lent well to the story also. Sometimes the most important relationships are found in the connection the MC has with the supporting characters. I found that in Shielded and really loved it.

I liked the world setting in Shielded and can’t wait to see more of it. Overall I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys YA Fantasy and can’t wait for the next one!

[mads · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly, let's take a moment to appreciate this beautiful cover. I thought I hated every cover with a face on it but clearly no. Like, is this not the most gorgeous cover? That's what I thought.

Okay, now with what I thought of the book itself.

What an amazing start to a series!

This story, at its core, is about the bitter-sweetness of leaving your childhood behind as you enter into adulthood. It's about the fear, as well as the beauty, of the unknown. It's a story about family, about responsibilities, and about the journeys we take to become who we were meant to be.

For me, this book's strongest point was the characters. Sometimes, it's easy for characters to feel like dolls, putting on a show they believe the reader wants to see. From the first page, I felt like I was entering into someone's life, watching events unfold. The dynamics between the characters felt natural, organic. Jennesara was such an easy character to root for. She was strong and caring; both a princess and a warrior that never felt the need to sacrifice one for the other.

My one critique is that the story felt a bit rushed. Pacing is one of the most common, and unavoidable criticisms for a book. There's a lot that happens, so it makes sense to feel like things flew by just a bit too fast. There were just some events I wish had been given a bit more time, such as the romance. (It's adorable though, so I'll forgive it the minor insta-love.) While this was something I noticed, it didn't hinder my enjoyment of the book, so it really is a minor criticism.

Overall, this was a really sweet, enjoyable story and I can't wait to see where the series goes from here.

[a foray in fantasy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is remarkable in that it did absolutely nothing for me. It added nothing. If you’ve read one typical journey-evil mage-bland romance, you’ve read this book. The worldbuilding is basic, but the writing is decent.

I have no emotions toward any of the characters— I guessed every plot “twist” as well.


2.5 stars

[Carol (StarAngel's Reviews) Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars

Another fantasy that totally blew me away! Ms. Flanders did a spectacular job of world building and character development! Jenna was a character that was so easy to relate to and love! She wasn't wishy-washy but had the "hero" inside of her. She put others before herself. Enzo fit right in with Jenna and was just as much of a hero! These two together were amazing and the development of their personalities and growth was spot on!

And the world? Ms. Flanders built the imagery and details of the world immaculately. I couldn't have asked for a better imagination while reading.

I can't wait for the next book with Ren!!

[ℓуηη_σƒ_νєℓαяιѕ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew this one would be good! It was definitely on my high anticipation list for the year and it didn't disappoint!

A couple small things brought the rating down by half a star, but this book is still soooo good! And it helped drag my sorry arse out of a slump that started at the beginning of the month. So I'm so grateful to this fun read for saving me!

Our heroine is brave and courageous with a sword, and pushes on despite the odds heavily stacked against her. You have to admire that. I know I would've been dead or just a soggy lump of tears lost in the Wilds lol.

The evil mage trope never gets old for me. I just love it! Evil sorcery!!! Bring it all on!! And a mythical library of dark magical objects?? Yes, plz! Epic betrayals on royal levels, deceptions and traitors everywhere. Yes to all of it! Oh and let's not forget that Jenna is RELATED to the evil mage bastard! Talk about some estranged family lol. And Graymere had similar abilities to Jenna's.

I really enjoyed the fast paced plot, it was perfect! I was engaged the whole time, which is a feat considering I was in the deep throes of a slump when I picked it up. I had some idea of who to not trust, but I couldn't figure out all the finer details, so that was a pleasure to uncover as I went along :D It was very well thought out and the writing flows so smoothly!

There's sooo many lovable characters in this tale! And I can't wait to be reunited with them again when Untethered releases next year! We had Enzo who's always smiling and joking; Luc, his gritty & sometimes grumpy bodyguard; Mari the adorable, devious little sister; Chiara, the older sister who is so kind and friendly to Jenna despite their countries being at war; Irena's & her family; Yesilia, who knows more than she says; Ren, Jenna's brother; even King Marko is likable. I just always have a weakness for side characters, and so to have a book with so many good ones in it makes me so happy!

Okay, onto my two minor issues: 1) is definitely the insta-love that happens between the characters. Maybe I'm just a hardcore cynic, but I just don't go for this trope or the "love at first sight", however you want to label it. I like relationships that feel like they grow naturally over time. Not in a mere eye-blink. I like them as a couple, I just wish it was more believably grown. Issue 2) there's a moment at the end where Jenna suggests finding the Black Library and destroying it. First issue with this suggestion is that it's stated like it's a new idea and it totally wasn't. She'd mentioned it when Ren first arrived in Turia and they were talking to King Marko. They'd already nixed the idea because they need a map to survive the Ice Desert and no one knows where it is. Secondly, what's the point in finding the library when they still can't get in it? Just like the evil mages, they only have one half of the key to unlock it, so neither side can get in, and therefore they couldn't destroy it. Also by hunting the library themselves, that then puts their half of the key in jeopardy by putting it near the enemy who could easily overpower them and take it and gain the magical treasures the library contains and become far too powerful to stop then.. So in saying that, I think the ending was a tad on the weak side, but I still enjoyed all the rest of it. And I suspected Gen. Leland and Cris all along!!! I was so right!

Anyway, I'm looking forward to Untethered next year!!! There's so many good books to look forward to in 2021 and this sequel is definitely high on that list :D

I recommend this is you love court intrigues, badass sword-wielding ladies, and evil dark mages! Or just YA fantasy in general :) This is definitely a good one!

[Grace A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was engaging, with vivid pictures of multiple magical kingdoms, their people, and the challenges they face. It explored themes of duty, sacrifice, and the quest for identity as Jenna, the main character, is thrust into a world of courtly politics and hidden enemies.

Princess Jenna, possessed a unique and mysterious magical ability to feel of emotions of others. As the 2nd child in the royal family, it is taboo for her to possess magic, so she kept it a secret for most her life. She was soon tossed into the world of politics, and powerful mages who’d been harbouring resentment for centuries and now want to take over the continent.

Overall, "Shielded" was a captivating read. I enjoyed
it’s strong heroine, court intrigue, and magical system.