Book Review: Threats of Sky and Sea by Jennifer Ellision

Threats of Sky and Sea (Threats of Sky and Sea #1)
Author:  Jennifer Ellision
Publisher:  Self-published, 360 pages
Publication Date:  May 20, 2014

From Goodreads:
Sixteen year-old Breena Perdit has spent her life as a barmaid, innocent to her father’s past and happily free from the Elemental gifts that would condemn her to a life in the Egrian King’s army. Until the day that three Elemental soldiers recognize her father as a traitor to the throne and Bree’s father is thrown in jail—along with the secrets from his last mission as the King’s assassin. Secrets that could help the King win a war. Secrets he refuses to share.

Desperate to escape before the King’s capricious whims prove her and her father’s downfall, Bree bargains with him: information for their lives. It’s a good trade. And she has faith she’ll get them both out of the King’s grasp with time.

But that was before the discovery that she’s the weapon the King’s been waiting for in his war.

Now, time is running out. To save her father’s life and understand her own, Bree must unravel the knot of her father’s past before the King takes his life– and uses her to bring a nation to its knees.

Review:
I loved this book!  The world-building is solid, with certain people revealing as Elementals on their seventeenth birthday and then conscripted to work for the King, who is a power hungry guy.  Bree lives with her father, running a tavern in a small village, when she is suddenly caught up in this world, finding out that her father is not who she thought he was.  He's now in jail and she's now learning how to be a lady, living in the palace as a prisoner.  

I liked Bree, she was smart, she didn't make rash, stupid decisions, and she was loyal to her father and just trying to figure out how to free her dad and get out from under the King's control.  There was just a bit of romance, but no insta-love, and in fact, Bree was very level-headed about it, which was refreshing.  There's one scene where she basically pushes the guy away because it's not the right time.  And no love triangle.  At all.  I wish we got to know Caden a little bit better, I wasn't swooning as much as I would have liked, but that's only a small complaint.  

I enjoyed Bree's friendship with Princess Aleta, which slowly evolved from almost hate to almost friendship.  Aleta is one tough princess.  Two strong female characters, that was a plus.  I also liked Tregle, an Elemental who, although he does the King's dirty work, doesn't seem to enjoy it.  I enjoyed the court politics and the different complexities of the characters.  It was a somewhat familiar story, but it was entertaining.  To be honest, I don't read that many self-published books and I'm always a bit wary, but I do recommend this one.

Posted by:  Pam