This was such a great start to a thrilling fantasy world! I loved the duel timeline and how each "queen" had a different way to prove herself and come into her own as a leader. I loved the love triangle involving Rielle and thought it was done very well. Her trials gave me some Hunger Games vibes which I really appreciated. Her trials and costumes were so well described, I felt that I could see it in front of me. I loved Rielle's struggles as well and seeing her battle with her urges was interesting. For Eliana, I love her strength and determination. She seeks justice and takes a lot of that responsibility on herself, which can be good but also self-destructive at times. I can't wait to read the next book in this series!