The Crimson Throne (Spy and Guardian, #1)

THE CRIMSON THRONE is an enthralling YA romantic fantasy. Alyth is a Leth (part-fae) in 1500s Scotland. She has a particularly challenging job of maintaining the magical barrier around Scotland that protects both human and fae from the Red Caps, deadly and violence-driven magical beings. As part of her role in that, she is ingrained in the court of Mary, Queen of Scots, where she helps to protect her, particularly from her husband who uses Red Cap weapons to try to get rid of her and take her royal power.

Alyth is checking the border when she encounters another Red Cap weapon and finds a young man, Samson, who is trying to help. Samson is barely acknowledged by his father for his illegitimacy and has spent most of his life on the streets. However, he carries a curse that means he will blackout and cause horrible violence. His father has a new task for him that carries him into Scotland and takes him to Mary's court- where the item that cursed him is supposedly being held. If he is able to get that, the curse may be done.

As he travels into the court and gets to know Alyth, they will find their fates entangled and a common purpose will help them to forge ahead. With unexpected twists, their paths to saving Scotland will be anything but easy.

What I loved: This was an engaging historical reimagining that takes many facts about the past and weaves it with mythology. The historical elements seemed well-researched, and an author's note at the end helps to set the stage. The mythology was fantastically well-done with fae and magical creatures that really came to life through the telling. The story felt lush and full of magic with strong world and character-building.

The main characters, Alyth and Samson, were both really compelling and easy to like. The dual perspectives worked well to capture their personal struggles and emotions as they embark on their parallel journeys. Their interest in each other was strong though complicated by the roles laid out for them by their respective fathers and the expectations of court. The romance was fairly light as the story focuses on the mysteries and action/adventure elements, but it was still strong with elements of the choices they make and power in understanding making it seem inevitable.

Other themes around duty, decisions/power of choice, trust, complicated family relationships, socioeconomic disparity, carelessness of royalty/wealth, and deciding who you will be were all really powerful. Both of the main characters have been raised and molded into one thing, but they are each beginning to understand and decide who they will want to be moving forward. There are challenges to this, but these themes will resonate with readers who are deciding who they will be on their own, despite of/in line with their families and looking towards the future. The duties/expectations heaped upon them do not have to define them, and each is beginning to realize and attempt to forge their own future.

There is a large lead-in for the next book, and it will be challenging to wait to find out what happens next! While some of the big mysteries were solved in this book (with lots of twists and surprise reveals), the story is not yet completed. I cannot wait to see where it will take us. The magical elements combined with the mysteries and suspenseful moments make this quite the consuming read!

Final verdict: THE CRIMSON THRONE is a consuming and compelling YA historical romantic fantasy that combines fantastic world- and character-building with thought-provoking themes and surprise twists. This is an exciting first book, and readers will be eager to see how Alyth and Samson's stories will continue in the next!