Review: Troubled Waters

Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn
Published: May 10, 2010
Goodreads

Zoe Ardelay receives astonishing and unwelcome news: she has been chosen to become the king’s fifth wife. Forced to go to the royal city, she manages to slip away and hide on the shores of the mighty river.

It’s there that Zoe realizes she is a coru prime ruled by the elemental sign of water. She must return to the palace, not as an unwilling bride for the king, but a woman with power in her own right. But as Zoe unlocks more of the mysteries of her blood — and the secrets of the royal family — she must decide how to use her great power to rise above the deceptions and intrigue of the royal court. 

After I read the stunning, spectacular Summers at Castle Auburn I knew I needed to pick up another Sharon Shinn book. I decided to start with the Elemental Blessings series. I actually bought the whole series without reading a single book. It was pretty risky. I know. I'm living on the edge. 

Thankfully, Sharon Shinn did not disappoint. At all. The whole time I was entranced by the intricate world of elemental blessings and the slow-burn romance. I didn't want the book to end! It has everything: court intrigue, magic, romance, mystery, a wonderful cast of characters... 

So the first amazing thing about Troubled Waters is the heroine Zoe Ardelay. Her story is set into motion by a visit from the infuriating Darien Serlast. Her journey and character is ever-changing and evolving (part of her coru blood). However, she is also powerful and smart. She has morals and values that set her apart from a lot of the schemers at court. Her three blessings are beauty, power, and love. 

Speaking of blessings, the world of Welce was so creative. The people of Welce have a system of blessings; three are given at birth and random ones can be drawn anytime. The people also believe in the power of numbers and balance. Every part of the world was thought out. There are even car-like vehicles called elay-motives. Also, there are five primes for each element. Zoe is the coru prime and has tremendous control over water and blood. 

The first part of the book is pretty slow but I loved falling into Zoe's life. I loved reading about her time living by the river in the city, Chialto, fending for herself and making invaluable friends. I really got to know the world and the people. The second part of the book is at court. The intrigue at court and the plot twists were all very entertaining. Let's just say Zoe's ability to read blood lines uncovers a lot of scandals. And I have a feeling Queen Alys is going to cause more problems in future books. 

The ending was satisfying and left our main characters in a happy place. However, there are a lot of loose ends for the realm of Welce and I can't wait to read Josetta's story. You can bet I immediately picked up Royal Airs after this. I have a feeling this series will be a new favorite.