Legacy of Kings book review!

Guys, here's my first review on this blog. I just finished Legacy of Kings by Eleanor Herman last night, and it was sooo amazing. I received an ARC of this from the author herself, and I was so excited to read it. I started it as soon as I got it and, what can I say? It was perfect.

This book is told from the perspectives of teenage Alexander the Great, princess Zofia, Katerina, Jacob, Queen Olympias, princess Cynane, and Alex's best friend Hephaestion. Alex is the heir to his father's throne, and he is named regent when his father has to go away. Zofia is arranged to marry Alex, whom she has never met, although she is in love with another. Katerina is an orphaned peasant girl from Larissa, and she lives with her best friend Jacob and his family, and ends up in the palace after Jacob wins the Blood Tournament and she punches a Lord in the face. (Pretty cool, right?) Princess Cynane is Alex's half-sister who is trying to aquire a type of blood magic called Smoke Blood, which is unheard of and somehow got her mother killed when she was younger. I don't really think I need to describe Heph or Queen Olympias that much, do I?

Anyway, the story takes place in the city of Pella. A bunch of Aesarian Lords (Lords who try to snuff out the people with blood magic) come to Pella to get rid of anyone who has blood magic and also get some new recruits. Alex, Heph, Katerina and Cynane, however, finds out that they have a larger plan at hand, and that the Queen also has plans of her own. Zofia runs away from her palace in Persia in search of her lover, but gets kidnapped by slavers in the process who believe she's a boy.

I gave this book 5/5 stars. The world-building was excellent, the characters were excellent, and the story was overall just perfect. I don't read many stories set in times like this, and I haven't read much fantasy either. This book is going to set me on a fantasy kick. It was soooo good. I definitely recommend it to anyone over the age of 12 who likes fantasy, action, and doesn't mind a little cussing and blood here and there.

Thanks again to Eleanor Herman and Harlequin Teen for sending me this novel! I can't wait for the sequel!