Books 2 and 3 in the Queens of Renthia Trology
✨ Vibe Check:
- Forests still trying to murder everyone 🌲💀
- Reluctant heroines stepping up anyway
- Political intrigue, spirit battles, heart-wrenching choices
- Emotional, fierce, and quietly beautiful
- “Save the world… but at what personal cost?” energy
💭 Our Thoughts:
If The Queen of Blood gave us survival and grit, The Reluctant Queen brings vulnerability and resilience.
In The Reluctant Queen, we meet Naelin—a middle-aged mother who wants nothing to do with power—but who may be the kingdom’s only hope.
It’s rare to see a fantasy heroine this refreshingly different: older, unwilling, fiercely maternal. It gave the story so much heart.
And then comes The Queen of Sorrow—where Naelin’s strength, love, and sheer determination take center stage.
As a mother, it was so moving to see a mom willing to tear apart worlds for her children.
Naelin wasn’t just a queen—she was a force of nature. Her raw, unbreakable will to protect her family made her one of the most powerful characters we’ve ever read.
Her strength was unmatched, and her heart was unstoppable.
Honestly? We just wish we could have had even more of her.
We wish Sarah Beth Durst had written a fourth book—one that followed Naelin’s journey even further.
Her story was strong enough, raw enough, and magical enough to have become a full series of its own.
There was still so much potential left in her future, in her relationship with her children, and in the evolution of her power.
Sarah Beth Durst finishes the trilogy with emotional honesty—nothing feels neat or easy, but that’s what makes the ending feel so earned.
She doesn’t just write about queens; she writes about what it costs to lead, and what it means to love ferociously.
Also: the friendships in this series? CHEF’S KISS. 👑💔
🛍️ Buy the Books:
📖 The Reluctant Queen – Amazon CA |
📖 The Queen of Sorrow – Amazon CA |
🍂 Best Read With:
🌿 The Reluctant Queen – Cozy Strength and New Beginnings
Candle:
🕯️ Moss Scented Candle
Because Naelin is pure earth and strength—fresh, grounded, life-giving.
Tea:
🫖 White tea with elderflower & Apricot
Light, soft, but with a hidden resilience — like Naelin’s quiet power.
Bookmark:
📖 Metal Leaf-Patterned Bookmark
Symbolic of her connection to nature and reluctant leadership.
🌑 The Queen of Sorrow – Heavy Stakes and Deep Loss
Candle:
🕯️ Smoky Amber Candle
The battles get bloodier, the decisions get harder. This is not soft magic anymore.
Tea:
🫖 Strong Black Tea
Robust, bold, bittersweet — like fighting for something bigger than yourself.
Bookmark:
📖 Be strong and courageous Bookmark
To reflect the darker emotional tone and the price of leadership.
🌟 Favorite Quotes:
“It is not enough to have power. You must choose what to do with it.”
“A queen does not run. A queen faces the storm, even when it burns her to ash.”
💬 Final Thoughts:
If you want fantasy that feels deeply human—with bravery, mistakes, love, and loss—The Queens of Renthia delivers.
This trilogy quietly builds a home in your heart… and leaves the forest whispering in your dreams. 🌲👑
We will be checking out Sarah Beth Durst’s stand alone novel The Deepest Blue next because we’re just not ready to leave Renthia behind.
Naelin will stay with me for a long time—the kind of heroine who reminds us all that strength doesn’t always roar. Sometimes, it simply refuses to break.
#TheReluctantQueen #TheQueenOfSorrow #SarahBethDurst #QueensOfRenthia #FantasySeriesReview #CozyFantasy #TheHiddenLibrary #ForestMagic #BookReview #CurrentlyReading
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