Book: queen of faces by Petra Lord
Reviewed by Andareadstoomuch
Rating: 5/5
(taps microphone)
Is this thing on?
PETRA LORD WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE???
Ok, ok, I’ll stop shouting. (Not really, though.) Holy shit, you guys, this book… this book is a POWERHOUSE. I lost sleep reading this book because I refused to put it down. (And also three-day weekend, don’t judge.) I can’t even begin to summarize this book because it was so incredibly twisty I will inadvertently reveal a spoiler. We got magic, which by the way, is probably one of the coolest magic systems I’ve seen in a minute. We got academia, because how can you not when you have high society living on the top of a very large mountain and name the fancy magic school Paragon. Oh yeah, I mean at that point if you don’t have a magic school with that name, what are you even doing with your life. We have identity confusion, who are you, WHO are you and why are you. We have intrigue, the political machinations are just… chef’s kiss . We have a bad guy, or three that will have you guessing every single step of the way. We have a coming of age story that is just… sheer perfection. Oh, and let’s not forget the pro-LBGTQIA+ and trans themes here. (And if that makes you turn up your nose, BYE. Don’t let the door hit you where mother nature split you, baby. No time for haters.)
This book you guys, Queen of Faces should be at the TOP of your TBR for 2026. It is stunning. It is life-changing. It is BRAIN-changing. It hits retailers on Feb 3, and you know I pre-ordered this one with a quickness. Make this a must-read, and I assure you, it will give you what you are lacking in your TBR right now. And look, the audiobook…. Dear readers, it is an experience! The narrators give this a whole new level of understanding to these tremendous characters. Dylan Reilly Fitzpatrick, E.A. Castillo, and Nicky Endres are incredible and I felt like I KNEW these characters in my bones. It made for a delightful immersive reading experience.
Huge, huge thanks to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) and Netgalley for the eARC and the opportunity to review this amazing work. Also, double extra thank you to Macmillan Young Listeners for giving me a copy of the audiobook of this title in a contest on Storygraph. Having both mediums was an immense treat. All opinions expressed are my own.