Queen of Coin and Whispers by Helen Corcoran

Lia's uncle has run the kingdom into the ground with his excesses, allowing his ministers to run roughshod over the country. Lia is determined to turn things around. Her new spymaster may be able to help, but as the threads of conflict tangle around them, will they emerge unscathed?

I mentioned this on Twitter, and it's still true; this is not a book to half-read while you're also watching TV. This is a book that demands all of your attention. There is a lot of political manovoeuring, and while the information is all there, it takes some putting together. Helen is not talking down to her readers; she believes that they can retain information and put it together in the right way, much as Xania is doing throughout the novel.

There's room for more to happen after this novel, but it's not a cliffhanger - a rarity these days, when everything seems to be about series. I was a little confused about the Steps at first, largely because of my assumption that lower numbers are better, but I figured it out as we went on.

I hope this book does really well. It deserves to. I mean, look at that cover!

When idealistic teenage queen Lia inherits her corrupt uncle’s bankrupt kingdom, she brings a new spymaster into the fold... Xania, who takes the job to avenge her murdered father.

As the two grow closer, they’re quick to learn that all isn’t fair in love and treason.

They must decide not only what to sacrifice for duty, but also for each other...