Castles in Their Bones by Laura Sebastian – Review

Published: February 1, 2022

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Series: Castles in Their Bones #1

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Pages: 528 (Hardcover)

My Rating: 5.0/5.0

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis:
A spellbinding story of three princesses and the destiny they were born for: seduction, conquest, and the crown. Immerse yourself in the first book in a new fantasy trilogy from the author of the New York Times bestselling Ash Princess series.

Empress Margaraux has had plans for her daughters since the day they were born. Princesses Sophronia, Daphne, and Beatriz will be queens. And now, age sixteen, they each must leave their homeland and marry their princes.

Beautiful, smart, and demure, the triplets appear to be the perfect brides—because Margaraux knows there is one common truth: everyone underestimates a girl. Which is a grave mistake. Sophronia, Daphne, and Beatriz are no innocents. They have been trained since birth in the arts of deception, seduction, and violence with a singular goal—to bring down monarchies— and their marriages are merely the first stage of their mother’s grand vision: to one day reign over the entire continent of Vesteria.

The princesses have spent their lives preparing, and now they are ready, each with her own secret skill, and each with a single wish, pulled from the stars. Only, the stars have their own plans—and their mother hasn’t told them all of hers.

Life abroad is a test. Will their loyalties stay true? Or will they learn that they can’t trust anyone—not even each other? 

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This was soooo good! I find myself being pickier about YA these days, but something about this really appealed to me (maybe that lovely cover?) and I decided to give it a shot. Glad I did because I couldn’t put it down!

We are introduced to Beatriz, Sophronia, and Daphne who are the triplet daughters of Empress Margaraux of Bessemia. They have been raised since birth to marry into the royal families of the three other kingdoms on their continent so that they might be weakened enough for Bessemia to take over. Nothing quite like being raised from birth for one purpose and left only with your sisters as friends. The story begins just prior to the sisters parting ways and we get to follow each of them as they enact their mother’s plans, though the situation is a little more malleable than it should be.

Sophronia is sent off to marry the young king of Temarin and find a kingdom already filled with unrest. He’s young, naive, and totally unprepared for ruling a nation and has left ruling up to his mother and her advisors. Taxes keep rising, people are starving, and revolt is brewing. Sophronia, being the good-hearted woman she is, is determined to help save the kingdom and her mother’s plans be damned. 

Beatriz has possibly the most difficult assignment,  since the kingdom of Cellaria hangs those who are accused of using star-magic. The triplets were conceived via that same magic and have the tell-tale silver eyes, so Triz must use eye drops to conceal hers. Their king is also an absolutely mad bastard who sees enemies at every turn. The entire court is on tiptoes around him, even his son Prince Pasquale who Triz is now married to. Beatriz and Pasquale find an unlikely friendship and they aim to protect themselves from the King’s madness, even as Triz discovers secrets of her own.

Daphne seems to be the coldest of the sisters and as such, the northern kingdom of Friv seems a fitting land for her. She quickly finds out that her intended (who had been ill) died just prior and she is now to be engaged to King Bartholomew’s bastard son Bairre. He is also completely unprepared for this role, which seems to be a common theme among this world’s princes. Turns out there’s also a secret band of rebels in Friv which keeps Daphne on her toes. While she and Bairre don’t quite get along they develop a grudging respect for one another.

I loved each of the sisters and there was never a boring POV! While this story isn’t full of battles and sword wielding heroines it is jam packed with court politics, intrigue, assassination attempts and powerful female characters. And then the ending you guys!!! My jaw hit the floor and I can’t stop thinking about it! Talk about an incredible cliffhanger and set up for book 2! This is probably going to make my top reads of 2022 list because I am STUNNED.