A Throne of Swans

When her father dies just before her birthday, seventeen-year-old Aderyn inherits the role of Protector of Atratys, a dominion in a kingdom where nobles are able to transform at will into the bird that represents their family bloodline. Aderyn's ancestral bird is a swan. But she has not transformed for years, not since witnessing the death of her mother - ripped apart by hawks that have supposedly been extinct since the long-ago War of the Raptors.

With the benevolent shelter of her mother and her father now lost, Aderyn is at the mercy of her brutal uncle, the King, and his royal court. Driven by revenge and love, she must venture into the malevolent heart of the Citadel in order to seek the truth about the attack that so nearly destroyed her, to fight for the only home she has ever known and for the land she has vowed to protect. {goodreads}

I was lucky enough to have my request to review A Throne of Swans accepted on Netgalley and was so excited when the notification came through. A Throne of Swans has been all over my Facebook timeline and I LOVE a retelling, so I knew this would be perfect for me.

A Throne of Swans is a YA fantasy inspired the story of swan lake. It's sweeping, beautiful and magic. Here are three reasons I would recommend it.

1. The world is really well thought out and developed. I loved its history and how it was woven into the fantasy aspects of A Throne of Swans. The court intrigue that arrives from the world politics keeps the story tense and exciting throughout.

2. Aderyn is a really strong main character. She is fallible and does plenty of things that you'll be screaming at her not to, but she is also keen to atone for her mistakes and is driven by love and duty throughout.

3. Early on in the story, Aderyn is told to "trust no one" and this is advice that stuck with me throughout and kept me on the edge of my seat - I was never sure who she could or couldn't trust and was always on the lookout for lies and betrayal. It made this a really exciting read.

There's been a lot of hype about this book, but I wasn't at all disappointed. A Throne of Swans is the first in what is going to be a very exciting series. I can't wait to find out what happens next!