Read All About It: The Crown's Game

Evelyn Skye walks us through the paths of Imperial Russia, adding touches of magic and political intrigue to the captivating pages of a young adult novel. The Crown's Game is opulent, enchanting, and commanding, full of the vigor of powerful magics and the timelessness of Russian aristocracy. Skye created a novel full of love and breathtaking descriptions that brings you straight to the streets of Russia, and makes you fall in love with her characters on every page.

Without losing its power, Skye threads the magic through the universe with a deft touch and a limitless imagination. Often guided by said imagination, her characters pulse with magic of their own, as well as emotional tension and dramatic resolve.

Vika Andreyeva and Nikolai Karimov are the only enchanters in all of Russia, and their skills are put to the test when they are called up to participate in the Crown's Game. The tsar desires an Imperial Enchanter to advise himself, and later his son, and so he calls a challenge where the victor gains everything, while the defeated is killed.

Vika desires with all her heart to prove herself, but when she discovers the identity of the other enchanter, she finds her own heart lost to the magic of his soul, which calls to her. Nikolai is an orphan, and the game is his only chance to stand by his best friend's side. And when your best friend is Pasha, the heir to the throne, Nikolai must resolve to defeat this beautiful enchantress, or he will lose his best friend and his life in one stroke.

The path to victory is fraught with danger, death, and love. But only one can win the Crown's Game.

I cannot sing loud enough praises for this novel. It is a beautifully wrought tale of love and pain, with a flair of theatrics and captivating characters. I fell in love with Vika, Nikolai, and Pasha immediately, and their nuanced selves were written clearly on each page for readers to devour and enjoy. The plot itself isn't overbearing, but is clearly threaded throughout the narrative so you never lose track of the game that affects their each and every move.

While at times the romance is a little overdrawn and played out, there is still an innocence to the writing. This love triangle is written to devastating effect, but it is a little predictable in that there is a deceptive quality to its ending. If you prefer neat happy endings, prepare yourself to be disappointed. This novel offers that to you at first, only to tear it away for maximum effect and an immersive experience in these teenagers lives.

I really loved Skye's protagonists, and I also heartily appreciated her side characters. Each one is lovingly created and described to the smallest detail, with their own lives past the views of the protagonists. Each has a role to play, both in supporting and hindering the actions of the three teens.

I lost myself in The Crown's Game easily, emerging several hours later hungry for more. The Crown's Fate will reveal more of this brilliant universe to us, if I can snatch it off its shelf fast enough. Until we meet again on the shores of an enchanted island, make sure you follow Evelyn Skye on Twitter, and join her Tsar's Guard mailing list to keep up with all the latest news!