#BookReview: The Cup and The Prince (Kingdom of Curses and Shadows #1) by @Day_Leitao @Netgalley

Synopsis: One prince wants her out. 
Another wants her as a pawn. 
Someone wants her dead. 

Zora wants to win the cup and tell them all to screw themselves. 

Yes, 17-year-old Zora cheated her way into the Royal Games, but it was for a very good reason. Her ex-boyfriend thought she couldn't attain glory on her own. Just because she was a girl. And he was the real cheater. So she took his place. 

Now she's competing for the legendary Blood Cup, representing the Dark Valley. It's her chance to prove her worth and bring glory for her people. If she wins, of course. 

But winning is far from easy. The younger prince thinks she's a fragile damsel who doesn't belong in the competition. Determined to eliminate her at all costs, he's stacking the challenges against her. Zora hates him, hates him, hates him, and will do anything to prove him wrong. 

The older prince is helping her, but the cost is getting Zora entangled in dangerous flirting games. Flirting, the last thing she wanted. 

And then there's someone trying to kill her.



Goodreads | Amazon

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
My Review:  I was a little doubtful about this one when I for at started because it seemed like it would be similar to so many other YA novels out there. However, I was quickly drawn in and unable to put this one down. I love that Zoe is such a strong female character that doesn't need romance and is able to deal well being a pawn in some royal game. It starts off with her sneaking out out town to join the royal games in place of the chosen champion once she finds out about his true character. She's quickly found out by one of the princes and becomes a pawn between the two princess and the king. Not only does she have to survive and win a competition where all odds are stacked against her, but she has to play the games of the court, and survive assassination attempts. I also liked the hints that there may be more to prince Griffin than we initially thought. The only thing that I really hated was the cliffhanger at the end and the fact that book two doesn't come out for a few months. 

Review

"It was a really fun fast read that I wizzed through." Emma and Jon - You're Welcome

"Perfect for fans of Throne of Glass and Red Queen. [...] It is simply "enchanting" with great characters and a whole lot of intrigue surrounding them." Read N' Dazzled

"The Red Queen meets Throne of Glass in this quircky series starter. 

[...]

Prepare for sinister secrets, dark magic and three dangerous, dauntless and dazzling royal brothers. With Throne of Glass style tournaments and Red Queen style brotherly betrayals, this book was incredible! Leitao creates a unique world with creepy shadow monsters and attractive characters and character relationships. YA fantasy fans won't want to miss this one!" Short and Sweet Reviews by Sam

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Posted in: 5 Stars, HeatherR, Netgalley, Review