Rule (Rule, #1) by Ellen Goodlett

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Three girls with three deadly secrets. Only one can wear the crown.

The king is dying, his heir has just been murdered, and rebellion brews in the east. But the kingdom of Kolonya and the outer Reaches has one last option before it descends into leaderless chaos.

Or rather, three unexpected options.

Zofi has spent her entire life trekking through the outer Reaches with her band of Travelers. She would do anything to protect the band, her family. But no one can ever find out how far she's already gone.

Akeylah was raised in the Eastern Reach, surrounded by whispers of rebellion and abused by her father. Desperate to escape, she makes a decision that threatens the whole kingdom.

Ren grew up in Kolonya, serving as a lady's maid and scheming her way out of the servants' chambers. But one such plot could get her hung for treason if anyone ever discovers what she's done.

When the king summons the girls, they arrive expecting arrest or even execution. Instead they learn the truth: they are his illegitimate daughters, and one must become his new heir. But someone in Kolonya knows their secrets, and that someone will stop at nothing to keep the sisters from their destiny... to rule.

Magic, mystery, and blackmail abound in this sensational and striking fantasy debut.

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I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

Firstly, Rule ends with a cliffhanger. I understand that some people enjoy remaining suspended in a story until the next book is released, but not me. Especially when the cliffhanger leaves more questions than answers, and none of the major plot points are resolved. Ren, Zofi, and Akeylah are all being blackmailed throughout the book, but we still have no idea who is responsible when the story ends.

Now with that being said, I enjoyed the overall story. I thought Rule had a unique concept with an interesting setting. However, there was a lot of world-building at the start, so it felt a little slow until I was about halfway through. The story picks up significantly when the three sisters start working together to find their common enemy, instead of second-guessing each other and looking for motivations that are not there. I wish they had all been a little more honest when revelations were made, but each sister still guards their individual secret. (It really bugs me when a single conversation can clear up sooo many issues.)

I also enjoyed how little romance there was. Rule was about three sisters and their relationships with each other. I loved how well they worked together, and how easily they seemed to bond once they stopped being suspicious of one another. There were a few dalliances, but nothing concrete (yet). They were there and then they were gone, which left the sisters relying on one another more than anyone else. 

Thank the gods for same sex relationships that weren't frowned upon or seen as something perverse. Men and women were free to be with whomever they wanted, and that was normal.

They mystery was really intriguing, and I found myself re-reading anything that could have been a potential clue. The girls started sharing information, but withholding anything that was relevant to their personal crime. I think they would have learned more if they'd been willing to open up completely, but I also understood why they were so hesitant. However, the suspense was somewhat diminished for me at the end, because of the heinous cliffhanger.

The blood tithes were an odd addition to the story, too. It was an interesting idea, but I hope to see it used more in the next book. I also feel like there are a lot of applications for it that weren't really addressed in Rule. Why wouldn't people just tithe for personal gain? If everyone can tithe, you'd think there would be more chaos surrounding the towns and their inhabitants. Despite the heavy beginning, I still have a lot of questions.

In the end, I enjoyed the story and I definitely want to read the next one, but I wish the content had been delivered a little differently. I liked the three different perspectives, even though I never felt attached to any of them. They always felt like characters -- never people. I wish the beginning had been condensed, or written in a way that didn't feel so informative. I want to learn something new without feeling like I'm learning something new. Finally, I disliked the ending. I don't want to work hard alongside the characters to figure the story out, and then have it end without answering a single question. Adding more questions only makes it worse.