Long may she reign by Rhiannon Thomas

Freya is not your typical noble, she doesn't like to wear fancy clothes and she would rather have her nose in a book or do science experiments rather than attend parties.  When she is forced to attend the King's birthday banquet, the one bright spark of the night is that she gets to spend time with her best friend Naomi.  With Naomi around she can almost ignore the looks and the whispers about "strange" Freya.  When she makes the impulsive decision to sneak away from the party to conduct an experiment she has no idea that her act of quiet rebellion will save her life - and make her Queen.  

It is not an easy throne to sit upon, it seems that everyone wants to control Freya, to make her follow the path that has always been followed - but Freya has a mind of her own and is determined to be Queen in fact, and not just in name.  With enemies and conspiracies seemingly around every corner, Freya must solve the mystery of who killed the King and his Court if she is to avoid Civil War and destruction.  Can her science help Freya solve the mystery before it is too late?

This is an interesting and thoroughly engaging book, mostly because it stubbornly refuses to be defined by a single genre.  Freya is almost an anti-hero, someone who would be just as surprised to find herself the "hero" of a book, as she is surprised to find herself Queen.  If I had to choose a single genre for Long may she reign I would push it into the mystery genre, because at the heart of the story is a young woman coming of age, but to save herself and her kingdom she has to solve the mystery of who killed the old King and why.  I was a little surprised by how fond I became of Freya and her Court, and in many ways I hope that there is another book about Freya and her kingdom because she has started on a journey as Queen, and making changes to her kingdom that deserves to be explore more.

This is one of those incredibly frustrating books to review because the more I reveal in the review the fewer surprises you have when you are reading the book (which spoils a lot of the enjoyment).  There are some great moments, some "ahhh" moments, and some moments when you see the Queen that Freya will be one day if she is given the chance.  Freya proves that you don't have to be beautiful to be a princess in a fairy tale, that sometimes brains can win the day.  A great read, that many adults will also enjoy.

If you like this book then try:

• Walk on Earth a stranger by Rae Carson
• Ever the hunted by Erin Summerill
• The girl of fire and thorns by Rae Carson
• Soundless by Richelle Mead
• Bound by blood and sand by Becky Allen
• A court of thorns and roses by Sarah J. Maas
• The Giver by Lois Lowry
• Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst
• The Giver by Lois Lowry
• Dragon's keep by Janet Lee Carey
• Holding smoke by Elle Cosimano
• Throne of glass by Sarah J. Maas
• Graceling by Kristin Cashore
• Crown duel by Sherwood Smith
• The halfmen of O by Maurice Gee
• Winter of fire by Sherryl Jordan
• Dealing with dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
• Court of fives by Kate Elliott

Reviewed by Brilla