Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Title: Red Queen
Author: Victoria Aveyard
Series: Red Queen #1
Publisher: Orion
Release Date: February 10, 2015

Summary from Goodreads:

The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers.

To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.

Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of
those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.

But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?

Review

Red Queen was everything I had hoped it would be and more.

In Red Queen, you are either a Silver or a Red. If you are a Silver, your Silver blood and abilities give  you strength and power over the Reds. And if you are a Red, you are a commoner, and your life is dedicated to serving the Silvers, either in the warfront or in the workforce. Until Mare Barrow, a Red, reveals that she has powers in front of the Silver nobility and threatens to shatter the foundation of their control. To cover the truth, The King and Queen turn Mare into a long-lost daughter of a Silver who was raised by Reds and betroth her to their younger son, Maven. Mare is also meant to be a figurehead to curb the growing rebellion led by the Scarlet Guard. And Mare must play along if she wants to live.

Everything about Red Queen was SPOT ON. Mare must keep up the illusion that she is Silver while learning to control her powers and avoiding the unfriendly attention at court. To make matters more difficult, she also joins the Scarlet Guard to fight for her people from the inside. But as she spends more time among the Silvers, Mare discovers that they are not all bad. She even believes she has found some among them who are on her side. But soon she will learn that anyone can betray anyone.

I honestly loved everything about this book. The world was fantastic and so well crafted. The storyline was brilliant, complex and full of surprises. I never wanted this book to end. The characters were the best kind - the type to show so many colors that you feel so many things for them and yet your not sure if you can trust any of them. The abilities were so much fun and felt unique to this story. The battles were even more fun. And I could go on and on - rebellion, politics, romance... This book had it all. And the best part? It was more or less self-contained. I am more than satisfied with how much happens in this book and yet I am still dying for the sequel. It was just SO GOOD.

It was like this book was written with everything I love in mind. I don't just recommend it, I push it on all of you! Go buy this book!