Review: Princess of Blood by Sarah Hawley

Princess of Blood by Sarah Hawley

Series: The Shards of Magic #2

Publication date: September 30th, 2025

Pages: 512

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Synopsis:

Once a servant, now a princess, a young woman thrust into power challenges everything about the underground Fae realm in the next installment of Sarah Hawley's new romantasy series.

Kenna Heron is still reeling from her lover's betrayal and the threat of an impending war. With only her two closest--and most powerless--friends by her side, she must navigate the treacherous politics of Mistei while coming to terms with her new identity as not just Fae, but princess of her own house.

With the king dead, three candidates are vying for the right to wear the crown next. A princess who claims the throne as her birthright and two rebel princes, both of whom are depending on the support of Blood House to break the stalemate between them. Old loyalties fray as new, dangerous alliances form, and Kenna finds herself caught in a web of violence, deceit, and unexpected passion. 

Kenna has the power to shape Mistei's future... but someone's willing to kill to make sure she never gets the chance.

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Story:

I was entranced by the world that Sarah Hawley created in her first book of the series Servant of Earth. So much so that when I was finished with it I had to jump immediately into the sequel even though the series is unfinished so far. The world of the fae being divided into houses that are lead by a singular prince or princess was a genius decision to go forward with. In this installment we got a crash course in what it meant to have either of the titles. As Kenna is now the Princess of Blood house she is now having to show what real leadership should look like. But everywhere she turns there are enemies. Some want her dead for personal reasons while others want her exterminated like vermin for having originally been human. The story combines aspects of political struggles with the ebb and flow of the laws of a new land. Kenna is learning and learning fast throughout the book but when she has to make a decision between an ex-lover and someone who may be better suited for the role of King, she is torn. I loved watching the indecision sit heavy on her shoulders while she also learned more about herself, her house, her friends, and who she could trust in the end. This story had me just as enthralled as the first book.

Character(s):

• Kenna - Kenna always had backbone but she was not allowed to show it when she was merely a servant of one of the houses in her new fae ruled existence. However, when she becomes the Princess of Blood house and suddenly has a say in who replaces the tyrannical king that she dethroned she suddenly has to appear to be made of steel. While her heart shows in the way she welcomes the unaffiliated, the discarded, and the fearful members of other houses and beyond she still goes toe-to-toe with some of the worst creatures she could ever encounter. Throughout all this she has to decide whether her ex-lover, Drustan, who showed the lengths at which he would go to win, or the leader of Void house with a bad reputation and Kallen's, her ex-blackmailer, brother, Hector. Both of them have their arguments to make for position but like most politics it is hard to know who to trust. Kenna had the perfect balance of vulnerability and strength that made her an idyllic main character.

• Drustan - I was rooting so hard for Drustan in the first book. I thought he was dangerous and volatile but in the best ways for Kenna. But after the circumstances of the previous book, Servant to Earth, I no longer feel that spark of appreciation for the character. Whether it be true or not, I feel like Drustan is a snake just waiting to strike. That if Kenna bears her throat to him again that he will crush her without a second thought. If it got him closer to his goal of being the King then he would stop at nothing. I want to believe he is redeemable but I worry he is not. 

• Kallen - I had a soft spot for Kallen from the beginning. When Kenna pursued Drustan I shrugged and thought it was an okay match but I secretly hoped that Kallen spoke up and said what he needed to say to win her over completely. Kallen's house was picked well. He is a shadow of a man who is the dark and brooding type. But underneath he felt like a character with heart that has been hurt too often along the span of his life. I loved getting to see a new side of him that I don't think I would have seen if he had remained Kenna's blackmailer.

Writing:

There is absolutely nothing negative I can say about Sarah Hawley's writing. She weaves world building with beatific depictions of each of the house elements. Her characters are gritty with teeth but also with a soft underbelly. At least the good ones are. She makes her characters likeable and that is a hard feat for a lot of authors to accomplish. There were moments of humor where I couldn't hold back the smile as I gobbled up every last word of her books. 

Overall:

If you have skipped all else of this review, here is where I will reiterate: Sarah Hawley is a seamstress of romantasy tales who weaves together a tapestry of wonder and excitement rooted in love, power, and the pursuit of equality that we are sorely lacking in today's world. Princess of Blood was the second book in a series that I am fast growing to love.