This Is Not A Cozy: The Queen Of Blood Review

What happens when a cozy fantasy author writes something darker? Well, that is exactly what Sarah Beth Durst does with this series. ‘The Queen Of Blood’ is not cozy but a brutal story of magic and spirits.

Everything has a spirit: the willow tree with leaves that kiss the pond, the stream that feeds the river, the wind that exhales fresh snow . But the spirits that reside within this land want to rid it of all humans. One woman stands between these malevolent spirits and the end of humankind: the queen. She alone has the magical power to prevent the spirits from destroying every man, woman, and child. But queens are still just human, and no matter how strong or good, the threat of danger always looms. Given the precarious position, young women are chosen to train as heirs. Daleina, a seemingly quiet academy student, is under no illusions as to her claim to the throne, but simply wants to right the wrongs that have befallen the land. Ven, a disgraced champion, has spent his exile secretly fighting against the growing number of spirit attacks. Joining forces, these daring partners embark on a treacherous quest to find the source of the spirits’ restlessness—a journey that will test their courage and trust, and force them to stand against both enemies and friends to save their land… before it’s bathed in blood.

When I first chose this book for the book club, I was basing my choice on having read a few of that author’s other books and loving how cozy they were. This book, however, is not a cozy fantasy. I went into this book knowing very little. At least for book club books, I like to do this because it’s fun to be surprised. Plus, I feel like it helps me give my honest opinion when we discuss it.

This book was fun to read, and I enjoyed the characters, especially the main character, who reminded me of Katniss from The Hunger Games—with magical powers. I was drawn to the underdog story and found the magic system fascinating, particularly the idea that the girls didn’t have powers themselves but could control those who did. The queen is the best villain for this story, and I loved to hate her, mainly because her logic for being bad was understandable. Overall, I recommend this book if you like high fantasy with some dark elements, but don’t expect a cozy story.