Book Details:
Book Title: Queen’s Catacombs (The Frean Chronicles #2) by Jordan H. Bartlett
Category: YA Fiction (Ages 13-17), 416 pages
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: CamCat Books
Release date: Mar 2023
Content Rating: PG. Very clean, but there is some brief violence. Same sex relationships
Winning the crown was only the beginning.
Jacs, now the rightful Queen of Frea, seems to be Queen in title alone. She scrambles to learn the customs and traditions of a Realm she had only read about in books. The Council of Four have her firmly under their thumb, and their ideas for the Queendom are oppressive and outdated. Their knowledge of her mother and Master Leschi’s whereabouts is the only leverage they need to make the new Queen dance to their tune.
Jacs is determined to find those who were taken from her and do what’s right for her Queendom. But in her search for answers, Jacs uncovers a much darker truth from the Queendom’s past that will forever change its future.
My Review
Bartlett, Jordan H. Queen’s Catacombs. Brentwood, TN: CamCat Books, 2023.
The story of Queen’s Catacombs picks up soon after Contest of Queens ends. If you are going to read this title, you will probably want to read book 1 first. There is a lot that will not make sense if you don’t. As always when reading a book other than the first in a series, I wish there had been a “previously in…” section in the book to remind readers of what previously occurred in the series. I always find it helpful when authors include this.
Jacs has to establish herself as the Queen of both the Upper and Lower Realms – which have strong prejudices against each other. There is much conflict and excitement in the book which at times make it hard to put down. The book does end with most “loose ends” tied up but there are a few unknowns at the end which could drive readers to pick up the next book when it becomes available.
My concerns with Queen’s Catacombs are philosophical – the values of the author as portrayed in the book do not match up with Biblical values. Women rule over men – men can advise but women are the actual rulers. The “god” of the book is a goddess – and “Goddess” is used almost as profanity. There are positive references to attraction and marriage between two women. Because of these concerns I cannot recommend the book – especially not for Christian school libraries.
I received a complimentary copy of Queen’s Catacombs. This is my honest review.
Book Title: Contest of Queens (The Frean Chronicles #1) by Jordan H. Bartlett
Category: YA Fiction (Ages 13-17), 464 pages
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: CamCat Books
Release date: Jan 2022
Content Rating: PG. Very clean, but there is some brief violence.
In a Queendom divided, can one girl unite the realms?
Jacs, an inventor’s apprentice from the Lower Realm, has only ever dreamed of what the land among the clouds holds. That is until she finds a letter from Connor, an Upperite boy 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 divided by a heavily-guarded bridge and an inescapable prejudice.
The strength of their bond was thought to transcend distance and time, but when the royal family visits the Lower Realm, the Queendom’s feud is reignited.
To save her people, Jacs must infiltrate the Upper Realm and earn her place to compete in the Contest of Queens. In a story about friendship, love, bravery, and defying gravity, Jacs will strive to prove that a Queendom is strongest when united.
Jordan H. Bartlett is a New Zealand-born Canadian 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.
connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads
CONTEST OF QUEENS Book Tour Giveaway
https://widget.gleamjs.io/e.js
Library Lady's Kid Lit 
[…] Lady’s Kid Lit – book spotlight / author interview / giveawayApr 7 – Library Lady’s Kid Lit – book review of QUEEN’S […]
LikeLiked by 1 person