4.5 stars

I'm mad for anything about Vikings and Saxon history, and some of this book is set in an area near where I live, so I was looking forward to it. From the way Shelley Wilson talked about it on social media as she was researching and writing, I had a feeling it would be good, and it is.

First of all, I am aware that I am decades older than the target market; I would say it's quite young YA, as it would be the sort of book I'd have loved when I was 12 or 13, and if I had a young teenage daughter I would be happy for her to read it. I tried at all times to read it with this in mind, though it's a cracking story whatever age you are, and I very much enjoyed it. There is one scene that is a bit more sexually explicit than I expected, but no more so than some books available in children's libraries today.

The Last Princess is loosely based on the 9th century taking of the Northumbrian throne by Aelle, starting with the murder of King Osberht, his brother. Whether or not Shelley Wilson's Edith, the daughter of Osberht, existed, I don't know; little is definite about that period. This novel is about her life as a Northumbrian princess, the loss of her family, and the many adventures that took her from a slave ship to Viking battlefields. It's got the lot: fear,brutality, love, hardship, betrayal, loss - I would actually to read a longer version for AA (actual adults!), because I enjoyed it so much.

Edith's growth and change throughout the story is believable, and my favourite character was Jarl Aaric, the Viking leader who becomes an important part of her life. One aspect about it that I loved was how it didn't talk down to the reader, or try to push forward certain narratives, so much in the YA-orientated fiction (written word and TV) these days. Ms Wilson has not shied away from the brutality of the time, or given her characters present-day attitudes. In the 9th Century, people were far more close to death than we are now, and this is reflected.

Any negatives? Only the occasional use of the word 'gifted' where 'given' or 'gave' would have done just fine; it's an Americanism that should have been pounced on by the editor. However, apart from wincing each time I read this (and do bear in mind that it's a pet hate of mine - you may not mind it!), I wholeheartedly recommend this book - if you have a teenage daughter, buy it for her now - she will love Edith!


9 s Christine Cazeneuve1,248 25

I really enjoyed this fast paced story. Edith was quite a woman for the times. The book does at times feel a bit rushed but honestly it didn't bother me much. It had the right balance of dialogue and description and I d the characters. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion.5 s M.J. MallonAuthor 17 books213

I received an advance reader copy of The Last Princess by Shelley Wilson. (Thanks to NetGalley and BHC Press for the copy.)

Well, after reading the blurb and seeing the beautiful cover I had a feeling I would love this story. And I was right.

This is such a compelling tale of bravery, love, friendship, family, disloyalty, greed, slaves and vikings! Everyone loves a good viking story… who could not? There is passion, war, fight scenes, sword wielding and shield maidens! Yes, women are fierce too. And, I d the finer touches of this story too… the details of viking marriage ceremonies. It is obvious that Shelley Wilson has researched with care and this is evident in her descriptive passages, and the finer details.

In my opinion, the story really comes into its own as it progresses. I’d say the beginning had me wondering a little… My initial uncertainty was perhaps not quite enough emotion at the beginning given the terrors of what happened to the heroine Edith. But, in the midst of such terror perhaps there is not much time to pause and reflect. This is a time period when such experiences, death is all to common I suppose. So, this slight hiccup, which pulled me momentarily out of the story is soon swept away by the brilliance of the storytelling. Everything thereafter is captivating. A real page turner, I loved this.

My rating 4.5 stars.

I attach my link below (I am a blog tour host, my spot on the tour is 26th May, so look out for that!)arc blog-tour netgalley2 s Raeanna290 9

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was really interested in the premise of the book and as I started reading, I noticed that the author does a good job at sucking you into the story. However, a lot of the important plot elements happen at the beginning of the novel where the audience has little time to connect with the characters. This is a missed opportunity. Otherwise, overall the plot of the story is good.

On the other hand, I also feel the book could have be longer, even if it is YA. Because of its length, it feels disjointed at times, and a scene or idea does not fully get fleshed out before the next event happens. Along with that, I didn't feel any type of appreciation or connection to Edith. The development of her character seemed rushed.

This book would be good for a Young Adult audience, but may be too simplified for a more mature audience. I would actually give it 2.75 stars, but I have rounded it up to 3.

Ratings:
- Quality of Writing 2.5/5
- Sadness level 0/5
- Ease of Reading 3/5
- Plot Development 3/5
- Hero 3/5
- Heroine 2.5/5
- Characters 2.75/5
- Enjoyability 3/5
- Logic 2.75/5 arc female-point-of-view meh ...more2 s N.A. GrangerAuthor 8 books24

I participated in the book tour for Shelley Wilson’s The Last Princess, and I thought I’d follow up with a review.
If there could be any such thing as a swashbuckling novel with a young woman as the heroine, then this is it. It is based on historical elements from the seventh century, during which the Danish Vikings began invade to what would become England and captured quite a few territories, eventually settling in the eastern half of the country.
Edith, an Anglo-Saxon Princess, oldest daughter of King and Queen of Northumbria who rule from Bamburgh, is sent on a husband-seeking expedition around Northumbria with her two younger sisters. Her life changes suddenly as she, her sisters, and her entourage are attacked and everyone but she is killed. She survives in no small part because she had been taught to fight and use the sword by an Elderman who is a close friend of her father. She finds her way back to Bamburgh only to find her parents murdered and the town laid waste. Edith vows revenge, but her immediate problem is staying alive, since clearly she was meant to be killed as well. Her father’s brother has seized the King’s crown, even though Edith was designated as the heir-apparent. He immediately marries her off to an old and ugly Elderman, but on the night of their wedding day. The Elderman’s estate is attacked by men thought to be pirates. Edith assumes the identity of a slave and is taken by the pirates, later to be sold at market to a Viking jarl or lord.
Through all of her travails, Edith is determined to survive and clings to her dream of returning home to claim her throne and kill the person or persons responsible for the death of her family. Gradually she is integrated into a new, Viking family and her independence, fierceness and bravery help her develop into a Viking shield maiden or woman warrior.
What will happen when she returns to Northumbria to take back what is hers from her uncle? Is he the one behind her family’s murder and her abduction?
This book introduces the Vikings as they really were – a cultured, family-oriented civilization of both farmers, craftsmen, sailors and warriors – and contrasts their Norse religion and gods to the Christianity of the Saxons and also starkly contrasts Vikings and Saxons in their treatment of women. I have to give the nod to the Vikings, since the author puts the new King of Northumbria and his minions in a bad light and while portraying the Viking culture is stern but neighborly and inclusive. Edith is a strong female character, but one with doubts and fears despite her warrior status. The secondary characters – Baldred, a Saxon soldier; Solveig, a Viking shield maiden; Jarl Aaric, Edith’s Viking rescuer; and Leif, one of Jarl Arric’s sons – are all fleshed out realistically. There is a little romance between Edith and Leif, but the story really focuses on Edith growth as a princess, a warrior and a natural leader. The reader is privy to her doubts, her fears, and her changing view of her world.
I am a huge fan of historical fiction and I love the richness of the world this book creates and its non-stop action. Highly recommended.
2 s Lisa VK30 1 follower

I received an advance reader copy of The Last Princess by Shelley Wilson. (Thanks to NetGalley and BHC Press for the copy)

Description

Northumbria, 866 AD

Edith still has much to learn about the art of ruling a kingdom, but when her family is murdered, she’s faced with the challenge of staying alive.

As a young woman in Anglo-Saxon England, Edith finds it hard to be heard above the Eldermen who are ripping the kingdom to pieces, but nothing can prepare her for the arrival of the pirates and the Vikings. Torn from her homeland and sold into slavery, she’s determined to survive at any cost.

Finding allies in the unexpected and enemies closer to home, Edith clings to her dream of returning home one day to reclaim her throne and to exact revenge on those who harmed her family.

I love historical fiction! I constantly search for people, places, words I’m unfamiliar with…and really appreciate learning something new. In this instance, I learned about Northumbria, the Viking invasions of England, Bamburgh and Bamburgh Castle, and that era.

I really enjoyed this story. Edith is a likable character; courageous , adventurous, and spirited. The other characters were all fascinating as well – from Jarl Aaric, to the shield maiden and Edith’s duplicitous uncle , Aelle. The book was easy to read, and the story was compelling.

Five stars!

Look for The Last Princess May 24, 2022.1 Wytzia Raspe493

This novel felt to me a bit a light female version of The Last Kingdom mixed with some elements of the Viking series. I can imagine that for a girl in her teens or early twenties who has not seen those series the book is an interesting read. historic-novel war1 Rebecca Milstead98 2

First, thank you to NetGalley and the author for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
WOW! I don't know exactly what I was expecting, but this wasn't it! This story is absolutely amazing. I loved going through the growth of Edith. I laughed, got angry and cried! I want more!!1 Dawn74 1 follower

I LOVED this quick fantasy read. The book releases in May, and I can’t wait to share with my students once I get a copy.

I love Norse/Viking culture and this book did a pretty good job capturing this very fascinating group of people.

Edith is a Princess whose whole family was murdered. She was thought to be dead, but instead she was sold into slavery as a nameless slave. She happens to be bought by Viking leader and brought back to his village. She is biding her time to go back to avenge her family’s death and take back her throne.1 Jade Borah65 2

I was excited to read this from the moment I read the synopsis . Would I read a princess on a revenge mission .Hell yeah .
It's a amazing story. It was a fast paced story. Honestly I wanted to some scenes to be more described . But I never got bored reading it . I character development in books . This book had it . The characters are interesting .
I would recommend it to all ya fans . But new adult will it too I guess. Historical fiction readers with a taste of fantasy should definitely read it
Thank you netgally, the author and the publisher for the earc in exchange of a honest review.1 genia167 4

“. . . but my last breath would be taken on English soil as I avenged my family.”

This is Hamlet meets Daenerys Targaryen and The Anarchy in Anglo-Saxon England. We follow Edith, the heir to Northumbrian crown, as her family and friends were annihilated in a heartbeat. With her uncle usurping the power and she was sold into slavery, headstrong Edith determined to take back her right and make sure those who have wronged her loved ones to be punished.

This was a great fast-paced historical fiction read with a pinch of romance and plenty cut-throats. And Vikings. There were loads of them.

The author really knows history that wraps this tale (as far as I know): the Vikings and pirates raid, Scandinavian slavery, Viking’s heaven and their beliefs, their plundering monasteries habit, religion in Anglo-Saxon England, Viking’s custom of painting their faces before battle, their view on death and how they deal with one, etc etc. I’m not a historian, I mostly learned about those stuff on horrible histories but I daresay they're quite accurate. I make them sound textbook-ish but I swear they're very accessible and readable. My next favourite thing about this book has got to be the female friendship (female rivalry irks me but poorly/lazily written female friendship irks me almost as much). I feel Edith has more chemistry with Solveig rather than Leif. We’re all familiar with the “touch (insert one’s lover(s) pronoun here) and I’ll kill you” trope in a romantic relationship. But how about that trope between two bestfriends? Because that's the energy Solveig radiates towards anyone who’d dare to harm her friend.

There are things that do not sit right with me. First and foremost, the “I am not other girls” mentality. *Le sigh* Folks, I thought we were past this?

“I’m not sure I’m the first slave your family has bought, Leif. I’m no different from the other girls you’ve had in your town.
“But you are,” he replied, looking at me in a way no lord should ever look at the servants.

(Let me laugh for a second because the "but you are" gives me flashback to that crimewatch episode lmao)

Honestly, it didn't really cross my mind that Edith is a not--other-girls because liking masculine things doesn't make you one. Well, actually, it sort of crossed my mind twice when Jarl Aaric and subsequently his wife Ingrid said something , “You are not the other slaves.” And I dismissed it since slaves don't only consist of women. But then it is addressed very blatantly. Yes, Edith said two statements but the first one is a fact. So Leif's response must be to the second. Still, I don't really see any not-other-girls traits in Edith but God it’s kinda hard to take this seriously when they put it that way. That's my biggest issue.

Second, concerning Ingrid’s discovery of Edith’s true identity. Seriously, it has so many potentials. The build-ups, the cold stares, and the tensions are very well-done. But how it was resolved made me stare at my phone and thought, “That’s it? That easy?” Tell me, how did we go from Ingrid who isn't easy to trust people to Ingrid who is so easily convinced by just some tales? How did she know it all true? (“the seer,” you may say, but I think it could have done better). And then wanting her husband to fight for Edith’s right? Whew that escalated very quickly. I expected some heated argument of sort.

That said, I really recommend this to Prince Hamlet of Denmark if you a kick-ass heroine and Vikings.

ARC is kindly provided by BHC Press through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.family historical-fiction netgalley ...more Abigail84 7

**I received a digital ARC of this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program**
**Includes spoilers**


The general premise is following a young woman who is coming of age, ripped from her family who are killed, enslaved, and then returning triumphant to her homeland to become queen. It seems it should be a rollicking adventure story -- with finding yourself and finding who you are.

Instead the entire text felt detached. Multiple people were gruesomely killed on page, starting from the first chapter and the heroine doesn't respond or seem to absorb any of this trauma. Instead she just moves to the next thing-- whether the next thing is slavery, falling for the boy, taking on a new identity... The book plodded along "and then this happened and then that happened." I kept waiting to care about this young woman -- who tacitly is Very Concerned that she will be assaulted but never is and then on random page falls madly into bed with a young man. Ultimately I did not care. I felt much more for the side character of a shield maiden who is described as having been repeatedly assaulted and whose lover is sacrificed so that the heroine's husband survives. I felt for the lover, who was serving and had actually made some interesting efforts.

Everyone is INCREDIBLY nonchalant about people dying and killing other people. Oh and then the major twist at the end is that she doesn't reclaim her throne. How unsatisfying.

There's a weird disconnect in the narrative -- the Vikings claim to not understand the political machinations taking place in Britain and openly look down on that, but then in the next breadth are off to kill a rival who is trying to take over their clan. This disparity was never addressed.

It's additionally unclear who the target audience is. While abstracted, there's a lot of on page violence (a Blood Eagle is described, I will admit to having mostly skipped those two pages) and some sex -- it doesn't feel an adult book or YA. I wouldn't give it to anyone under 15 but also by that point you either want more feelings or less.

Finding the author's biography at the end which describes their other work as writing inspirational self-help /non fiction for a young adult audience explained a lot about this book. Was this supposed to be a tale of resiliency and self-help, only...it's getting everyone else to follow you and oh btw, turn over your kingdom to someone else?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.Show full review Emily Claire77 2

There were some parts of this book I d - the concept as well as some of the overall plot. However, most of the time I was frustrated. Overall, my frustration boiled down to a few main things.

First, and most important, the quality of the writing. There is an almost shocking level of emotional disconnect for the main character. She rarely emotionally reacts and processes in any meaningful way, instead giggling after horrific events or bouncing on to the next event. A particularly notable example is when a beloved character dies, in a completely avoidable manner because the princess wants to have a duel, and all she thinks is that they “saved her love”, not that she brought about this tragedy. This type of writing is irritating in third person, but it is unbearable in first person.

In addition, this novel tells instead of shows at almost every turn, skips portions of time as well as explanations and reactions, and manufactures relationships from a couple glances or a single conversation. The pace feels so rushed, and yet the prose makes it drag.

There are also a variety of issues such as plot holes, inconsistent logic, and thin character motives throughout, though I could have overlooked them more if the writing itself was stronger.

I try not to assume a lower quality of writing because of a smaller or independent publisher. In fact, Nova McBee’s Calculated series is a perfect example of truly outstanding writing not from a Big 5 house, and one of my all time favorites.

This novel however, very much feels a second draft, where the overall plot and concept is there but the depth is missing. With substantial revisions to bring nuance to the pace and flesh out character internalization and motivation, this could have been a solid story.

A final note: I felt the topic of slavery was not addressed respectfully. I don’t have a lot of knowledge about the practice in the viking era, so there is a possibility it was more accurate than I believe, but overall is was handled with a nonchalance that made me very uncomfortable. LauraleeAuthor 2 books23

Edith is a princess of Northumbria. She is her father’s chosen heir because her father has no sons. One night, her parents and sisters are killed by pirates. Her uncle becomes king of Northumbria and marries Edith to an old man. A few days later, her husband is killed and Edith becomes a slave to the Vikings. Under the hands of the Vikings, she trains as a warrior. While she is accustomed to her new life in Viking territory, she continues to harbor the dream of becoming queen of Northumbria. Would Edith ever take the throne back from her uncle and become the queen her father always wanted to be?

Edith is a strong protagonist. She has been raised to be the next queen of Northumbria. Therefore, she strategically makes political moves to help her to become queen. Even when she has nothing left and is in enemy territory, she continues to make political decisions. The only time she is not thinking of politics is when she marries for love. Edith is also understandably angry for what has happened to her family and wants vengeance. I found Edith to not only be a hardened warrior in the novel but also a survivor. She goes through so many tragedies but she becomes more determined, assertive, and confident. Thus, I was rooting for her all the way to find her own personal happiness.

Overall, this novel is about different cultures, acceptance, and survival. The story is very fast-paced and is full of political intrigue. I did find all of the characters to be very stereotypical with little character development. I found the romance to be forced and instantaneous with shallow depth. Many parts of the book seemed rushed. Still, I found the depiction of the Vikings to be very fascinating. The setting of both England and Germany was very well-written, and it is full of vivid historical details. The Last Princess is an enthralling read for those that love reading about the Vikings. I recommend this for fans of Shield-Maiden: Under the Howling Moon, The Norse Queen, and Rise of the Shieldmaiden!
(Note: I read an ARC copy of this book in courtesy of Netgalley.)england germany historical-fiction ...more S.C. SkillmanAuthor 5 books37

I found this novel very strong and dramatic and the first few chapters compelling. The story is exciting and action-packed all the way through, and as a reader I find myself gunning for Edith the main protagonist of this enthralling tale, loosely based on the few sparse historical facts we do know about the times of the Viking raids on Northumbria.

I love the twists and turns, the changes of fortune, the developing relationships and shifts in the balance of power and political alliances which seek to unite two traditional enemies

Among the many outstanding elements of this novel, I particularly the way the author uses the trope of the fierce trickster who comes alongside the hero and may be an adversary but finally proves an ally; and the way the hero is saved by the loyalty she has engendered in this ally. I was also very impressed with the way the author remains true to the values of the culture and the times of Edith, without imposing our modern way of thinking upon the story. Yet through this she maintains our sympathy with the character as she is captured by the Vikings and transported across the sea to be sold as a slave, and then enters a different culture with a different way of seeing the world.

The dichotomy between the ‘Christian’ culture of the Saxons and the Norse worldview of the Vikings is fascinating: ‘their gods were on our side’ in a wonderful observation. I was also intrigued by the way the two religions find a place of appeasement and accommodation with each other in some respects, although it is still a very fragile balance; this was beautifully done. The narrative and trajectory of the story helps the reader understand how in a desperate life and death situation with such high stakes, fierce decisions must be made.

A highly recommended book.


young-adult Sequoia Cron885 8

Thank you Netgalley and BHC Press for allowing me to read and review this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Last Princess is a fierce and brave story about Edith, a Saxon princess whose parents and sisters were killed in an ambush to take over her home Northumbria. Edith runs from home and is captured by pirates and sold into slavery. One day she is taken in by Jarl Aaric, a Viking man and begins training as a shield-woman. She and her new "found family" prepare to go to battle against her uncle, who took over Northumbria by force.

I really d this book. Edith is a strong female character with a warrior's heart. We are introduced to different religions of the Saxons, who believe in Christianity, and the Vikings, who believe in the Norse gods. Edith wants revenge for the death of her family and to combine both Saxons and Vikings together. I d the Norse lore and the views of both sides. I adore her friendships with Baldred and Solveig both who support and make her stronger. I do Leif, the love interest and one of Jarl Aaric's sons. I wish Edith and Leif had more moments together to flesh the romance out a bit. He was understanding, protective but not in a possessive way, and let Edith be independent while also training her in the Viking ways.

The book doesn't just focus on romance but just adds to the story and Edith's growth as princess, to slave, to shield-woman, and warrior. Shelley Wilson created an easy world to follow and wrote a fantastic story.

I highly recommend checking out Sweet Black Waves, Beyond a Darkened Shore, Beasts of the Frozen Sun, Furyborn for more fierce books featuring strong women.

4.5 starsnetgalley Lisa8 2

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this advance copy in exchange for an honest review. As a fan of several TV shows that feature that life and times of English Kingdoms (Northumbria, Wessex, Mercia) and Viking conflict, I was excited to read this tale of a princess from Northumbria whose entire life was ripped from her in a moment. The main character, Edith, proved to be a formidable warrior born of a desire to survive and strike back at those who betrayed her. Odin smiled on her when she finds herself claimed as a slave by Jarl Aaric. She demonstrates her value through honorable action and finds fortune in the recognition of women as shield maidens and equal contributors to Viking life.

I found some similarities in this story to several of the TV shows in that the main character is ‘adopted’ in a way by a powerful jarl. A strong relationship is developed as a result between Saxon and Viking, and Viking sees the value of the Saxon knowledge in raiding Northumbria. Perhaps this was common for Vikings to use Saxon slaves to learn how to invade England. It leaves the reader cheering for the Vikings and the success of invasion.

Overall, this was a good story that I didn’t want to put down and finished in 2 days. I would recommend to any reader who enjoyed stories of Vikings, English Kingdoms and the conflicts between the two. Rae Nason123 3

The Last Princess tells a tale of a young woman in Saxon England. Edith is the oldest daughter of the King of Northumbria and she's got a lot to learn about leading a kingdom. Especially a kingdom who doesn't believe that she should rule because she's a girl. When Vikings and pirates invade her homeland and murder her family, all she can do is try to save herself. When she's captured and sold into slavery, she vows revenge and survival though she doesn't know how she's going to do it, Sold to a family of Vikings, Edith finds kindness and allies where she doesn't expect. Can she return home and exact revenge on those who set out to destroy her?

I found this book a very quick and engrossing read. The character building and development is superb. I loved all of the action and the pacing of the story was perfect for the story. I'm a big fan of Vikings and their stories and lore. So I felt this book would be a perfect fit, It reminded me of a gender bent The Last Kingdom a little bit with the same royalty and Viking leaders. Although the story itself doesn't show any parallels, if you're familiar with the series, this book will give you a twinge of familiarity, All-in-all, a good read.

Thank you to NetGalley and BHC Press for providing me with a digital copy for review. The opinions expressed here are my own and do not reflect those of the author or publisher. Llewelyn31 1 follower

Though the title may be deceiving, this story isn't about some prim and proper princess going about her merry, royal life. One has to look deeper, and realize that this fast paced story is about more than just one girl's life.

Edith dreams of being queen. As the eldest daughter of Northumbria's king, that does seem to be in store for her. But when her family is murdered in a plot to take the throne, she has to be much more clever in her attempts at a crown. The story is incredibly fast-paced and terribly difficult to put down, 8/10 would recommend!

--- SPOILERS AHEAD ---

I honestly don't know how that much information was put into one book. The story could've definitely been stretched into a much longer series, and really read as a movie. Not in a bad way, though. There were parts of the story that were glossed over that I would have d to hear more about, but it kept you reading nonetheless.

Leif was an icon and I loved him. It was a bit clichéd, but they were great together. I also loved Solveig and how Edith was able to piece back together a family, especially at the conclusion! Rachel Feeck615 10

Princess Edith of Northumbria, eldest of three sisters and quite collected for being 17, sets out to tour the kingdom in 886 AD and gets ambushed by hired ruffians. The ensuing death and violence sees her evading danger, captured, and enduring the grueling voyage as a slave to the slave markets in Scandinavia, where the princess far from home faces the unknown world of the notorious viking raiders, which offers suffering, healing, revenge, and new purpose should she choose to take it.

Overall, Edith's story is fast-paced and gripping (although sometimes lapsing into a detached narration that skips over climactic battles…). The violence is on the upper side of YA, and it really felt anyone could die at any moment, be they man, woman, or child. There's some politics, a little found family, a little coming of age, and a light sprinkle of legacy and revenge. I don't know exactly how true this story hold to history, or what even is known of that time, but whether accurate or not, Edith's blundering without consequences seemed a bit much to me. Nearly every situation is life or death, and sometimes she makes a pretty big goof and no one blames her for it, even when the bad outcome was completely avoidable.

**Thanks to LibraryThing and the publisher for the ARC**
arc historical-fiction Éden Rizk51 5

I would to thank Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give an honest review.

I'm between giving this book a 3.5 and 4 stars. I did enjoy this book and any time I started to read it I would have trouble putting it down, but at the same time, there were some issues I had with it.

One was predictability. For example, how obvious it was who was behind the deaths of Edith's parents and sisters. And yet, Edith had to be told who it was. Another issue I had was the pacing. It needed more development than what the pacing allowed for. Sometimes it felt part of the development was skipped over just so that the author could reach the end sooner. This pacing also led to confusing timelines. It was rare for time to be mentioned, but when it was, it felt maybe a year and a half or two years max had passed, only to come to the end and find out that years had passed.

It was still an interesting book though. Hannah240 12

A solid three star book. This is a Netgalley review.

Things is d- I loved the setting, the main character, and the Viking. The story was engaging and interesting. I really love the idea of the story.

Things I didn’t - everything was too rushed. We barely meet Leif and then they are married. I could get into the writing either. It was very basic. I can see the non-fiction wiring peeking through. The sentences weren’t engaging and with the face paced nature of the story, I could never get into the characters. I also didn’t the pregnancy. I know a lot of people don’t that and I wasn’t a fan of it either. Another problem I have with the book is how quickly her family dies. I know it needs to happen soon, but it’s so close to the beginning of the book, that when they do die, I don’t feel a thing for them.netgalley read-2022 Carly292 4

The Last Princess by Shelley Wilson
“I want to watch the light go out in your eyes,”... “‘I want you to understand how dangerous it was to underestimate a daughter of King Osberht.”
~~~~
I first would to thank Shelley Wilson, BHC Press, Netgalley for the eARC. This was an amazing read.
I love anything with Vikings, and finding yourself. And mixing it with romance; sign me up. I hopped on this immediately, and Wilson didn’t disappoint. The plot was detailed and I was able to follow along easily. My emotions were all over the place and this book legit transported me to this world. There was a little bit of spice in here and I didn’t think there was going to be; but I loved it. Nicely done. And then the badass female power, absolutely, YES! Here for it all the way!
This 100% will be a reread for me and I will keep my eyes out for whatever Shelley Wilson has in store next. Exquisite Williams180 21

I did not this story as much as I wanted to. The writing threw me off. The story felt rushed and too slow at the same time. None of the characters felt fleshed out. I just was left wanting so much more. I finished the book and could barely remember what happened. I barely remember Edith or any of her character traits. She also never seems to process any of the violent things that happen to the people around her. I think perhaps this is simply not my genre of book. It just felt Edith wanted to be Daenerys Targaryen sooo bad. I also felt unsatisfied at the end so maybe that comparison is warranted. If you do historical fiction though this may be the book for you!

ARC provided by NetGalley. Amy Nicole40 1 follower

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

When I first saw this book, I really loved the premise of the story. Edith is a able character who is full of courage and spirit. It made reading the book enjoyable, easy to read and the story overall was compelling.

The only reason I am giving this story 4 stars instead of 5 is because there were places in it that felt rushed and disjointed. Sometimes I would go back though a scene feeling as though I missed something and not finding the transition. Haley Kilgour969 1 follower

Overall not a bad book. The plot is engaging and the writing style makes it an easy read. However, I do feel there are some glaring issues.

The first one is that Edith never struggles for anything. It doesn’t make her feel the strong character she’s supposed to be.

The second is that there’s very little down time between action. So whole Edith has great characterization, everyone else feels fairly flat.

Thirdly is the romance. Leif just feels it’s all of a suddenly they each other. There’s very little lead up to it.This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.Show full review Liv747 5

The Last Princess is an easy read, featuring Vikings and Pirates and all manner of adventure. After her family is brutally murdered, Edith struggles to survive in a world that is not kind to women who have nobody.

And interesting premise and a fairly straightforward plot, this book was a reasonable read, but I didn't really find myself engaging. I think it just wasn't for me!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Kristen 446

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is fast-paced and engaging. Edith is an incredible female protagonist and I adore what a strong character she is. The pacing in this book was wonderful and was just perfect for a quick, intriguing read. I wish there would have been more story or if there could be a possibility of another book from Edith’s POV as she is so wonderful. Jessica Chase45 2

I was so excited when I picked up this book series. I love anything to do with Vikings, especially the action-packed stories surrounding them. I think the premise of the book was fabulous and it did have great plot points, The opening scene let my jaw drop, but I became less impressed as the story progressed. I don't think all the events were well developed. The story moved quickly and while I a fast-paced novel, this was more fast-paced due to the fact that the author skimmed over large amounts of important events. Vikings have a completely different lifestyle, and the way she portrayed the characters and the characters' arcs just did not seem to fit with what I know of the time period. Honestly, I think this story could have been spread out into a duology to provide time to develop the characters and events more. I think everything was a great start to the novel, I just wish it had been refined a bit more. The bones of this story are good! It just needs to slow down a bit. Rita83 2

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