Thirty girls. One fae prince. Who will win the tiara?
A competition for the fae prince to find his 'one true love,' hosted at a glamorous faerie palace and televised for the entire human world to watch.
Honestly? It's ridiculous.
I have zero interest in it.
I may fit the 'rags' part of the Cinderella mold—an ex-foster kid who literally came from nothing—but the heir to this faerie throne is no Prince Charming.
From what I've heard, he's an arrogant a-hole just like the rest of the fae who stepped into our world a few years back and decided they were better than us.
I have no desire to marry one of them.
And then I accidentally wind up as one of the contestants.
Before I can wrap my mind around it, I'm whisked away into a world of glamor and magic, dresses and balls, backstabbing princess wannabes and a faerie prince who seems to want to be here even less than I do.
But the longer I'm part of the competition, the more I realize the Glittering Palace isn't what it seems on the surface.
Hey, I'm Lyra! Lover of both fantasy and romance. I spend most of my time in magical worlds (in my imagination, if not physically!) crafting memorable characters, fantastical magic, plot twists, and happy endings, and throwing in a sprinkling of steamy spice.
My favorite kind of fantasy world is the type where a magical realm exists alongside the modern one we know and live in. Because that means that at any moment, I just might walk into it myself ;-)
I was very excited to receive this debut novel as an ARC from the author and her team!
As someone who enjoys new adult style fantasy romance, I knew I would devour this in less than a day (which proved to be true); however there were some things that I didn’t absolutely love about this one.
First, the marketing for the book seems to be aimed at adult (18+) audiences, as those who read/enjoyed The Selection and The Hunger Games (two series that this author seemingly pulled inspiration from) rose to popularity around a decade ago. While the author delivered on the adult themes and spice, the pacing, writing style, and descriptions read more like an early YA novel. With the themes discussed in this novel, it may not be appropriate for a young (11-14 year old) adolescent.
Secondly, I felt as though the reader was thrown into everything without much context. How long have the fae been in the human world? When did the “Shimmer” appear? More introduction to this world (even though it is similar to ours) would have been appreciated and provided more of a stable world building for the reader.
The novel definitely leveled out around the 50% mark and I felt better about the pacing and plot-driving elements. However, I found myself begging for more clarity from the FMC! This novel is written in first person, which is generally not a bad thing and many authors can pull it off well! However, there were so many pieces to Avery’s back story that would’ve been provided to the reader in her inner monologue (e.g. more information about her scars even if some of the details are held until later, discussion about Maddox/Caz/Alice or some glimpses of this trauma). Instead, a lot of this information was left to be a precursor to the plot’s climax.
Speaking of climax, good LORD this was the most complex and long lasting ending to a novel. There were so many subplots and small things that the author had to explain to the reader that it felt as though it lasted for 20% or more of the entire book. After the dust settled, there were still so many loose ends to tie up, which caused me to somewhat skim.
I don’t consider a review good unless I name some of the things I LOVED: - the relationship between FMC and MMC (swoon) - the side characters were well fleshed out - the author left enough plot to the imagination that I didn’t have *everything* figured out at the end (which is hard to do with the over-saturation of novels in this genre) - the twist of the winner’s purpose at the end was *chef’s kiss* and I appreciate not everything being what it seems!
Overall, this has the makings for a great introduction to a series! I would like to see some writing growth from the author in the upcoming novels, but I would definitely consider reading the next installment!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
So, I went into this book because I saw it recommended in a book group I'm in. I've been in a major reading slump and needed some quick pick me up books, and boy howdy did The Princess Game deliver!
I just first and foremost want to thank Lyra Vincent for delivering such a beautiful romance that was respectful, honest, and genuine. Kieren apologized, he asked for consent, he respected Avery's boundaries and always made sure she was comfortable. It was so lovely and refreshing and just honestly made me really happy to see these very important aspects of a relationship portrayed very honestly.
Working through Avery's trauma was also a very realistic, heart-felt journey. I appreciated the dedication to her character development, and I absolutely adored her as our protagonist. She was believable and flawed, while still making you want to root for her until the end.
The plot was great -- some aspects were a bit predictable, but enough was left to surprise me at the end, and I thought the twists were unique and different!
I will say that some of the foreshadowing was a little clunky. Sometimes I felt like it was very obvious where things were going, almost to the point of being too obvious, and other times I felt completely in the dark, like there hadn't been enough of a back story to fully understand the nature of the situation. As this seems to be the author's first book, I have to say that I absolutely think they have great potential and I really look forward to reading whatever else they put out! I thought I saw on Instagram that this was a stand alone and I absolutely refuse to believe that, because Vincent did a really incredible job of setting the stage for a next installment 👀
It’s like a knock off of the selection series but with faeries. The writing is worse and the plot wasn’t as good.
Let’s start with the main character Avery. She is suppose to be a “girl next door” type of girl but with a traumatic background…. Wow how original. For one the trauma ain’t really that much. It doesn’t really go into her time in foster care besides the last home with Caz who ends up SAing Avery. But even that part ain’t written in detail. The final battle is suppose to be this epic show of finding her inner power but it comes off lack luster.
There is so much left unsaid…. Literally. The amount of ellipses used is unnecessary. The book ends with the author saying that this story for Avery is concluded but what about the other girls who was kidnapped? What about Lina? Why was Sadie and Shay switching places? Who tried to poison keiren? Was riya some sort of spy sent in? So many loose ends that should have been addressed.
A lot of this book is written as a “leave it up to the reader to fill in the blanks”. The author writes as if this whole book was a half assed idea. It has potential and for that I give it 2 stars.
I’m just really disappointed in not just the lack of imagery but also the overall story telling. There could have been so much more to the whole thing and there wasn’t.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Very good Fae romance/adventure story. Slow burn. Reminds me a lot of "The Selection" by Kiera Cass, but a little spicier. I look forward to more books in this world! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars!
I was kindly sent an advance review copy of this book, however I am under no obligation to write a review - I am choosing to do so.
Okay, lots to say about this book! First of all, it did exactly what it said it would: it really is the Selection, just with fae. I really enjoyed reading it as it reminded me of when I absolutely devoured the Selection series years ago - it had all the aspects of the Selection that I loved, catty girls, ball gowns and an unexpected romance. I also loved that this was a more modern ‘fae’ setting, and while the game show element wasn’t my favourite aspect, it definitely added to the story.
I felt that the romance aspect was more of a slow burn while the actual story seemed to be pretty fast paced - there were few filler chapters which I appreciated, but I also enjoyed that the love interests didn’t suddenly fall in love less than halfway through! (Even if I was rooting for them for quite some time!)
I must say I was surprised to find spicier chapters towards the end, because in my opinion the writing style from the beginning screamed ya. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the writing style myself, it used a few modern slang words and in general I thought the characters rambled at times, but the only reason it bothered me is because this just generally isn’t what I gravitate towards in a book (probably because I’m used to high fantasy set in a time not like our own!)
Overall I really enjoyed this The Princess Game, I read it in about three days, which is very good for me, and it was a generally enjoyable read. I loved that this was a stand alone story, but sets the reader up for more stories set within the same world which I would be quite intrigued to read in the future. I thought this was a great debut novel, and is one I would recommend for people looking for a fun, fantasy romance, that still has a little action and twists without being too dark or overwhelming in its lore and world building.
Big mix between the selection and acotar Really just here for the vibes of the genre and not actual worldbuilding (which actually wasn’t that bad) or descriptive scenes
It was like the selection but with fae. It had a lot of misspelled words and grammar mistakes. Would’ve been better if it had multiple pov. Liked that it didn’t leave off on a cliffhanger
My immediate thought after finishing The Princess Game was how much it reminded me of The Selection series by Kiera Cass—only this time with magic, fae courts, and a definite NA feel (yes, there’s a bit of spice later on). Since I’m a big fan of The Selection trilogy, I enjoyed this book almost as much.
I really enjoyed the world Lyra Vincent created, blending our human world with a magical fae realm. The romance kept me hooked, and I enjoyed the characters—including the side ones—though I do wish we’d gotten to know some of them better. Maybe we’ll learn more in the other standalones planned for this series. (I’m especially intrigued by a certain Winter Prince *wink wink*)
One of my favorite parts was the way the author described the fae Autumn Court. I’m a sucker for beautiful descriptions, and I could almost feel the magic and wonder seeping through the pages.
The only thing that didn’t work for me was the ending, but only because it felt rushed. The last 15–20% of the book was packed with so much action and so many twists, all being resolved in a matter of minutes, that it became a little overwhelming. I couldn’t help but wish the story had been stretched into a duology—or even a trilogy. There was so much potential for deeper exploration, and I would’ve loved to linger in this world with these characters a little longer instead of feeling like everything was wrapped up in a flash, almost unrealistically.
That being said, this book was still a great read, and I had a lot of fun with it. I’ll definitely be exploring more of Lyra Vincent’s work in the future!
I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH. this was basically the selection but with magic and fae like come on!! say less🤭 it was so so good!! i read this book as if i was chugging water lmao. i immediately fell in love with prince kieran and the princess game aspects of it all. sometimes it gave me the hunger games vibes too with the makeovers and avery’s aides. this book had so much depth and world building and i truly felt alive while reading it. it was so full of true love and happiness but also despair, loss and lies. i’m so sad this is the end of avery’s story because by the end of the book i felt like this was JUST beginning of her story!! so much was simply brushed over hastily. i really hope the author continues writing books in this world for other characters because there were several things left unanswered that i definitely need to know the ending to!!
This one started off feeling like The Selection but new adult + fae. Pretty light, fluffy and while predictable, still entertaining, but I didn't expect the twists towards the end that added more of that romantasy feel to the series and helped expand the scope of the world. I had wished we'd gotten a little more drama from the games themselves or gotten to see more of that part of the story, but I will say the romance speed and spice was just about perfect to me. It was more of a slow burn and not just spice everywhere or too soon. It definitely left me curious as to where the story will go next!
This book is basically The Selection sprinkled with magic. It’s an easy story to read, but everything that happens is very predictable and standard. Avery and Kieran are magical copies of America and Maxon, with the country and royals having a similar rebel/curse-like issue.
The writing is not fantastic. It is sometimes very difficult to determine who says what purely because the entire page is conversation, without any additional part of the story (I.e. …. says).
I will probably read the next book purely because it is Selection-like and can be read quickly, but not because the book is spectacular.
4.5 ⭐️ debiut autorki - bardzo udany! nawet nie wiem ile czekałam na tę książkę (zdecydowanie DŁUGO), ale było warto. fabuła motywami odzwierciedla serie „selekcja”, ale z dodaniem magii, wartkiej akcji, humoru i fae, dosłownie. dodatkowo sama historia była niezwykle interesująca i wciągająca. atmosfera enemies to friends to lovers, balów, monarchii, walki o serce księcia - chef’s kiss. również postacie miały w sobie pewną głębię i autorka zdecydowanie poświęciła nieco czasu na wykreowanie ich charakterów, co bardzo doceniam.
This was so fun! Gave me The selection vibes only in my opinion better as the magic and added plot entwined with the Fae was a really great edition that made it stand out.
I enjoyed the slow release of the story and how all the events came together for a deeper meaning and I’m preying there is going to be more from this author in this series there is so much more that can happen from where this book leaves off and plenty of side characters to invest time in.
It’s a great fun time read and I raced through it!
This book was positively delightful and I enjoyed absolutely everything about it. The writing style, the storyline, the slow burn between the main characters... I’d say it’s about 50% The Bachelor, 35% fantasy/fae world and 15% Hunger Games.
A rare book where I was sad to reach the end because I could have continued on in the Autumn Court’s world for much much longer. I hope Vincent has plans of turning this into a series rather than a stand alone book.
INCREÍBLE!!! Literalmente este libro es LA SELECCIÓN + ACOTAR (el mundo fae). Así que si sois fans de esas dos sagas, ESTE ES VUESTRO LIBRO. Y además, toda la trama general mola y engancha mucho.
Creo que hay más libros pero con el protagonismo de otros personajes, y como el final de este primer libro es abierto, supongo que esta trama general del mundo fae se resolverá en los siguientes :)
2.5/5: this book is basically the selection meets acotar, to the point where I could predict probably 3/4 of the plot. It gave wattpad in a way that I needed to get me out of my reading slump, but the ending felt rushed (even though that was actually the part of the book that deviated the most from the “inspo” novels). Fun book to read but could have been rounded out more for the plot twist to tie in earlier on and make it more unique and less of a fanfic feel
I loved this book. I have always been a massive fan of the selection and fae, so seeing a book that tied in both was intriguing! I wasn't prepared for how much I would actually love it though. This story blew me away and had twists and turns I didn't see coming. Loved everything about it and can't wait to read more by Lyra!
I loved this book! Finished it in one day, that's how addictive it was.
There are some scenes that I felt were unnecessary and others that was rushed but nonetheless it was really entertaining and fun to read. And even tho it was similar to The Selection series, I felt that the pacing was fast enough that I didnt get bored and the plot was unique by including the fae and the fairytale curse.
I received this book for free from Author, MTMC Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Princess Game was a fun and delightful read from page one. Avery, the MC of this story, is charismatic with an excellent skill to get into trouble. As fate would have it, she is chosen as one of the participants of the televised competition to win the heart of the Autumn Fae prince. And despite of making fun of it, she cannot ignore the monetary prize that comes with it (which she desperately needs to survive).
I thoroughly enjoyed following Avery’s story, this scandalous competition was highly entertaining and I thoroughly enjoyed following Avery and meeting all of the participants, specially Kieren (our fae prince). He appears moody and arrogant at first, but he turns out to be really nice. Loved them together! This will be one of my new favorite friends-to-lovers fantasy romances that I will recommend!
And omg, that ending!! What a twist to the story!! Cannot wait to enter the Fae world again as we only get to experience the Autumn territory and hopefully get to see more of it in the other books in the series. Overall, The Princess Game has everything to draw you into its pages: faes, gossip, ballroom dancing, a laidback competition and an excellent reluctant allies-to-lovers relationship! 🤎📚
2.5 stars I decided to read this book because I was missing Maxon Schreave, but I didn't think it would be such a copy of The Selection. Spoilers kidna ahead for both books Ig:
Again it is a girl who didn't want to participate in the contest, the one that nobody expected to be picked because she came from a worst upbringing, then she becomes friend with one of the contestants who does not want to end up there and *shockingly* she ends up with the soldier. She ends up making a pack with the prince so she can give her insights into the competition and from all the hobbies that this woman could have had, they made her a musician too. At least the fae part was kinda interesting, until it was clearly obvious who she was and the worldbuilding stopped making sensce. Oh and those terrible dialogues... That is definitely not how a YA talks, btw. I read the selection when I was 14, but they were less cringy that this book.
Ahhh! Why has this been on my shelf for so long???? It was everything! I love it so much and couldn’t put it down, I should have gone to bed hours ago but I needed to keep reading! There were parts where I was kicking my feet in giddy excitement and parts where I couldn’t believe what I was reading. The twists this book took were so pleasantly surprising and I loved the fmc and mmc together sooooooooo bloody much! If you loved the selection, the hunger games and you love fantasy stories about the far…. You will adore this!!!
I LOVED THIS BOOK in an amazing way and being completely honest, I didn't have much faith in it… but wow what a wonderful surprise this story was. I NEED more retellings of the selection and I need a continuation of this story or at least bonus chapters, something!! 😭