Contest Of Queens by Jordan H. Bartlett

Release: January 18, 2022
Format: Paperback
Publisher: CamCat Books
Source: Suzyapproved Book Tours
Find it at: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible

In a Queendom divided, can one girl unite the realms?

Jacs, an inventor’s apprentice from the Lower Realm, has only ever dreamed of the land among the clouds. That is until she finds a letter from Connor, an Upperite boy who sends a wooden boat into the abyss, hoping to learn more about the land below. Little does Jacs know, Connor is actually Prince Cornelius of the Queendom of Frea. With wooden boats and hot air balloons, the two begin a secret correspondence. But their friendship is impeded by a heavily-guarded bridge and an inescapable prejudice.

Their bond transcends distance and time, but when the royal family visits Jacs’ town of Bridgeport, the illusion of peace between the Realms dissolves, and the old feud is reignited.

Now, to save her people, Jacs must infiltrate the Upper Realm and earn her place to compete in the Contest of Queens. She must learn how to survive against the contests’ grueling tasks and within a political web she could not have imagined. In a story about friendship, love, bravery, and defying gravity, Jacs will strive to prove that a Queendom is strongest when united.

About the Author:

Jordan H. Bartlett is a New Zealand-born, Canadian Citizen with a love for children’s literature and female empowerment. She grew up reading books about boys for boys and found it hard to find a strong female heroine she could relate to. Bartlett wrote Contest of Queens to give young readers that character she so longed for in a world where gender norms are reversed. Bartlett currently resides in Banff, Alberta where she works as a Speech Language Pathologist and is a certified yoga instructor.

Website | Instagram | Goodreads

Contest Of Queens Review:

This book rekindled my love for the young adult fantasy genre, and I adored everything about it.

Where do I begin with “Contest of Queens”? Everything about the book was just perfect, in my opinion. Let’s start with the two leads. Connor and Jacs are magnificent, and I loved their romance throughout the tale. The way they met each other by writing letters and getting separated by circumstances had me glued to the pages. I loved Jacs and her fascination with inventing new things. I also liked Conor for bearing the responsibilities and the courage to do the right thing. Both of them come from two different worlds yet share fantastic chemistry. My heart went out, especially to Jacs, when she did not hear from Connor after the incident.

Secondly, I loved the author’s writing style. The author details the settings and the characters with perfect details that make you easily visualize the story. The story’s second half is gripping, and I loved the author’s creativity in creating a unique set of tasks. The supporting cast is also entertaining, and I loved characters like Lena, Anya, and Master Leschi.

Thirdly, I loved the world-building and the concept of the Realms. The author adds a nice backstory (without giving away a lot of details) about the two realms. Even after reading the book, you know the author will reveal more of the backstory in the next book. Moreover, it was fun reading about the gender swaps like the Queendom and women reining the Queendom with men as their support. The story ends in an exciting cliffhanger, and I’m already impatient to wait until 2023 to read the sequel.

Overall, “Contest of Queens” is an AMAZING start to the series and easily one of the best YA books I read!