Thank you to NetGalley, Brilliance Publishing | Brilliance Audio for the audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review. 

 

This is the continuation of a YA paranormal historical fantasy set in an alternate history filled with bloodthirsty vampyes in France. 

In the heart of rural France, Jeanne Froidelac witnesses the king’s soldiers murder her family and learns of her parent's role in a brewing rebellion involving the forbidden secrets of alchemy. As a commoner, she has no power to seek revenge for the ones she loves.  To avoid suffering the same fate as her family, Jeanne disguises herself as the dead aristocrat Diane de Gastefriche, a young noble maiden her brother fell in love with and takes on her identity after she is killed and becomes a ward of the crown.  She is enrolled in a prestigious school for aspiring courtiers under the crown's protection and plays a dangerous game that brings her to the palace doors in Versailles.

Jeanne is no aristocrat, she plays the part.
She dreams not of court like the others, but of blood to avenge her family.
The blood of a king whose murderous reign must be stopped. 

 

Jeanne fooled them all and won the prestigious honor sip of king and became his newest squire.  After taking his blood that he gives the chosen squires that bestow limited powers to them, she is tasked with a special mission for the vampyre King of Shadows Louis XIV.  The King is determined to protect his empire at any cost and when a mysterious renegade vampire known as the Lady of Miracles, mistress of ghouls and nightmares ascends to power with her own Parisian court hidden underground ruling over the forgotten lower class people of France.  Lower than commoners, the outcasts of society, the wretched untouchables who are spit on by all.  The Lady of Miracles is King Louis biggest threat, something he has not had for centuries. His secret weapon is Jeanne posing as Diane, who earned the King’s trust with her cunning ways and a handful of helpful friends. He sends Jeanne to Paris to find and stop this tick who is a threat to his power.

Little does the King know, this orphaned ward belongs to a clandestine organization whose main mission is to destroy and rid the world of the evil vampyre starting with the King and all his evil minions littered all over France. The problem is she is not the only one on this mission.  She is sent with her rival and an escort from court to embark on a quest that could alter the kingdom’s destiny—and expose a powerful secret that she will do anything to protect. Her companions hinder her plans and even posing as a false supporter of the king, she has to worry about more than just the Lady of Miracles.  Many foes have nefarious plans, and she has to tread lightly to accomplish her mission. 

 

 

Jeanne has no interest in becoming a part of the King's court, or joining the Lady of Miracles. Her mission is to destroy the bloodsuckers who continue to terrorize and kill innocent mortals and only care about power. Thanks to the king, she also has power as well and attempts to use it to her advantage to keep herself alive to avenge those who had fallen under his wrath and her short list of allies. 

 

This isn't a sweet love story.  It's a continuation of vengeance in a dark bloody paranormal war following a young woman who will do whatever she can to succeed. She is relentless yet has even more challenges on this adventure in Paris.  Jeanne is in constant danger by many people who all have an agenda. I found it difficult to put down needing to know how she handles each new roadblock she is challenged within this reimagined historical France. Her powers are emerging after the sip of the king and she is still discovering them. The next book in this series will be interesting to see more of her powers that continue to manifest and future relationships with those who want the same as she does.  Freedom from the wicked.