When I was browsing Twitter a few months ago, I saw KayLynn Flanders talking about her debut book Shielded.I read what it was about and I definitely was curious. The author was really sweet and I received an e-arc to read and review! Shielded released at the end of July and today I want to tell you what I thought of this book!

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For fans of Sorcery of Thorns and Furyborn comes a thrilling new fantasy about a kingdom ravaged by war, and the princess who might be the key to saving not only those closest to her, but the kingdom itself, if she reveals the very secret that could destroy her.
The kingdom of Hálendi is in trouble. It's losing the war at its borders, and rumors of a new, deadlier threat on the horizon have surfaced. Princess Jennesara knows her skills on the battlefield would make her an asset and wants to help, but her father has other plans.
As the second-born heir to the throne, Jenna lacks the firstborn's--her brother's--magical abilities, so the king promises her hand in marriage to the prince of neighboring Turia in exchange for resources Hálendi needs. Jenna must leave behind everything she has ever known if she is to give her people a chance at peace.
Only, on the journey to reach her betrothed and new home, the royal caravan is ambushed, and Jenna realizes the rumors were wrong--the new threat is worse than anyone imagined. Now Jenna must decide if revealing a dangerous secret is worth the cost before it's too late--for her and for her entire kingdom.

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Shielded (Shielded, #1) by KayLynn Flanders
Published by Delacorte Press on 21/07/2020
Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 432
Format: ARC
Source: Netgalley
Goodreads

Review

Shielded was a book I was excited for and it didn’t disappoint at all! KayLynn’s writing style really sucked me into this story and wouldn’t let me go. I was in this world while reading and could feel what the characters were feeling. Those are two things that make me fall in love with books, so Shielded was off to a good start.

Our main character Jennesara was amazing! She’s always hide to hide certain aspects of herself, so when her life takes a big turn unexpectedly it’s a lot to handle. Jennesara is such a strong character and is focused on helping her family and finding out what’s going on. She’s brave, strong, creative and just wants justice and peace. I loved that there is definitely magical going on with her that she’s slowly learning more about. I really hope we get to see more of that in the sequel!

Enzo is another character I really enjoyed. He’s the perfect fit for the bookboyfriend list, but there’s still plenty I want to know about him. Just like Jennesara, he has his people he needs to think about and is very protective of his family. Enzo is also one that wants peace and I loved that he trusted Jennesara. When he could’ve had his doubts, he decided to take her word for many things. I loved that.

On top of these two characters we read a lot about, there is also an amazing cast of side characters: Luc, Ren, Yesilia and definitely Enzo’s sister Marietta. Main characters are important in a story, but I love when the side characters keep me equally entertained! They really helped this story be complete and I think they were all really important to the story’s development.

I really loved the politics and magic side of Shielded. My only remark about this story is that the pacing was a little too fast at times. There were certain things that take place in the story that we barely see any of. It didn’t take away my enjoyment, but I think the story would’ve felt just a bit more complete for me if I had seen some things take place. I still enjoyed all the twists and turns, even if some were a little predictable.

Last but not least, I have to talk about the romance. An arranged marriage is something we read a lot in fantasy stories, but I really enjoyed how this one played out. Also, yes, our main characters definitely felt a connection from the start, but it wasn’t really instalove. I loved how they got to know each other and it slowly developed. This doesn’t always happen and I enjoyed every minute of it!

All in all, Shielded will definitely be a book I remember. I can’t wait to see what KayLynn Flanders writes for us next.

Shielded was an amazing debut book and I can’t wait for the sequel next year! I’ll be impatiently awaiting, haha. If you haven’t read this one yet and love fantasy, I definitely recommend picking this one up!