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Rate: 4/5

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Medium: Audiobook

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Overview (No Spoilers): 

Darin Bales takes center stage in The Hidden Queen, with Brett’s writing shining bright throughout. I enjoyed Darin leading this novel, especially with his unique views on the world and his sensitivities that makes the reader pay extra attention to crowds and the sounds and smells that go with them. In The Desert Prince we see Darin grow with every page as he deepens relationships outside of the childhood trio of Selen and Olive. We see him strengthen his friendship with Rojvah and Arick along with meeting familiar faces from the original series like Briar. 

Olive still has a presence throughout this novel, though they spend a lot of time learning to lead and merge their two worlds. After their traumatic, though triumphant, evolution into a warrior, it is rather jarring for them to come back to Hollow. That said, their people seem eager to follow due to the current power vacuum. Olive is still reeling from the heartbreak of The Desert Prince that shadows much of the novel. As this story progresses, the weight of leadership falls heavy on their shoulders and while this burden strains, the Olive that emerges borders on unlikable. 

The fate of the rest of the world somehow rests in the hands of our young protagonists despite all of the heroes still around from the first series. To call the  odds that face them overwhelming would be an understatement. Their subsequent adventures allows Brett to both expand this literary world and to revisit other ancient wonders. Plus, he packs in a cliffhanger that might eventually hold answers to questions I’ve been harboring since reading The Core. 

I thoroughly enjoyed The Hidden Queen as Brett finds his rhythm in this action packed sequel. Overall, the pacing kept me eagerly flipping pages while Brett simultaneously expands the literary world by layering already familiar locations. 

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Additional Insight (Spoilers Abound): 

• Darin’s extreme sensitivity to the world around him was a major focus throughout this read and how it overpowers him. Arick and Rojvah came to his aid in ways that Olive and Selen have never been able to do. They seem to accept him for who he is. 
• I loved seeing Darin and Rojvah being engaged and how it grew into something solid. 
• Alagai Ka has not learned from his mistakes at all! If he would have just killed everyone or even kept quiet until the Queen was born he would have been successful.
• Arick might have grown the most throughout The Hidden Queen. I loved seeing him come back to music and learn a balance between the fighting and music. 
• I found Ansome’s story to be disappointing. He fell into the same pattern as before. I was so hopeful he would turn into a powerful ally without any catch. 
• Will Selen do something risky in the future due to her lack of magic.
• I’m glad Olive got some time with her father.
• What new adventures and horrors will be on the new lands?

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