1.5 stars 
 "These three sisters must fight to the death for the throne, and on the night they turn sixteen the battle begins." 
 What an amazing blurb, don't you think? It's supposed to anticipate a fast-pacing book with a lot of action, blood, plot twists and so on, isn't it? 
 It would be such a shame if at the end there was 
 no death, no battle, no nothing! 
 To make up for it there was a huge quantity of romance that I didn't even want since I was looking for some nice splatter. But no, I had to witness to all the . 
 kisses and betrayals and quarrels between lovers 
 What a nice way of spending time. 
 My reactions could be summarized in a simple scheme: 
 - 
 chapter one: 
 this is going to be AMAZING! 
 - 
 end of the first third of the book: 
 ehm... maybe the interesting things are just getting prepared? 
 - 
 end of the first half: 
 woah, the most "exciting" event so far was a love betrayal. Someone can tell me when the fun begins, please? 
 - 
 end of the second third: 
 I... can't... give... up... there's still hope! 
 - 
 end: 
 ...what the hell was that? 
 Yes, because it is probably the 
 ending to be the most absurd 
 of all the parts. It seems that the final "plot twist" was put there just as an attempt to create some kind of cliffhanger and without following all the things said before in the book, but in my case it just made me snicker because it really doesn't make sense to me. I mean, it's impossible that a vital thing like that hadn't been descovered long ago. (Maybe thing will get explained in the second book, but in any case the ending felt really forced). 
 Last but not least, the characters. I've already mentioned all the unending liaisons between this and that, but this is not the most pressing matter. I'm still wondering how three princesses brought up separated since 6 years old knowing that one day they will have to kill their sisters can be so warm-hearted, kind and merciful. It is impossible that a 10-year brainwashing had no effects upon them. The funny thing is that in the last three chapters things change completely and all Mirabella, Arsinoe and Katharine want is killing the others to have the crown. Revenge, revenge, revenge. For what? 
 This is what I call 
 "character flashvelopment". 
 Secondly, I can't fathom how three soon-to-be queens can just wander about almost with no escort and often do not so queenly activities. Most of the times they don't even remind me of future queens. 
 I don't have much to say about the other characters since almost all of them 
 spend all their time flirting 
 , even though I must say that I rather pity Bill for having to put up with all the Arsinoe and princessed related mess, and that Pietyr left me pleasantly surprised even though all his efforts were vain, since 
 who was meant to die reappeared "magically" 
 as if nothing had happened.