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The Duchess of Kokora
By Nikhil Prabala
LGBTQ+ / YA / Humorous Fantasy / Romantasy
Publisher: Grand Press
Pages: 442
Publication Date: August 8, 2024
SYNOPSIS
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The Duchess of Kokora, Phera Ylir Mdana, has entered the marriage games of the neighboring kingdom of Ryene. But she’s not there to woo the dashing Prince Dominic.
Her true objective? To win back one of the other contestants, Lady Rocelle Virae—Phera’s true love and ex-fiancée.
Love proves to be a game like any other when Phera must not only mend matters with her childhood sweetheart, but conceal her true intentions in order to earn votes and stay in the competition.
And as long-brewing political tensions simmer beneath the surface, the playful veneer of the competition begins to crack. In the end, Phera, Dominic, and Rocelle find themselves united in a desperate bid to prevent a duel that threatens the integrity of the kingdom, the stability of the continent, and any hope for a happily ever after.
This novel is the first in a planned series.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
From playing the DM in Dungeons and Dragons to writing fantasy novels, Nikhil Prabala loves storytelling, delighting in fantasy fiction from the epic to the cozy and everywhere in between. The Duchess of Kokora is his first published novel.
Born and raised in Austin, Texas, he graduated from Stanford in 2019 and is currently based in the Bay Area. In his free time he enjoys ballroom dancing, singing, playing the guitar, tabletop games, and spending time with friends and family.
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REVIEW
If cliffhangers in series drive you crazy, especially early on, then The Duchess of Kokora may not be for you. This is the first book in a planned series, with forbidden love, competitive games, political intrigue,....and let me reiterate, it's the FIRST BOOK. So this one definitely has the potential to leave you like it left me - wanting more with no way of having the next chapter in the story of Phera, the titular Duchess of Kokora. This is an LGBTQ+ book, so that's a primary focus of this novel. I'm always hesitant when writers who don't fit the main character's major demographic are writing a certain relationship, but I do appreciate the attention to detail and believability of the main couple and their troubles. I was pleasantly surprised despite my initial reservations. Phera doesn't want the crown prince of the neighboring kingdom. The aim of her personal mission is her former fiancee - and my gosh, does Phera put up a fight.
Where this book excels is in its character development and worldbuilding. I loved the world Phera was in, and I really like the heroine. She's someone I couldn't help but root for, despite some rough edges. The Duchess of Kokora has several staples of the fantasy genre, making it familiar and fun. It has a great heroine, a magic system, and a hierarchy system that loves to get in the way. It is also easy to follow, allowing it to be very accessible overall. Ultimately, I give The Duchess of Kokora a Lone Star rating of ✯✯✯✯ stars. It doesn't do anything super revolutionary, but it is absolutely entertaining and enjoyable, without being overly familiar relative to any other story I've read so far.
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Terrific review -- sounds like this one's worth adding to the TBR (but maybe after book 2 is out! ha! I hate a cliffhanger.)
ReplyDeleteCliffhangers drive me CRAZY! They're the number one reason I don't finish book series, because by the time I have the next one, I've forced myself to move on to fill the time. Then when a sequel is finally out, I feel like I have to reread the first one again. It's a horrible cycle I need to break!
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