Review: Crown of Oblivion by Julie Eshbaugh

Title: Crown of Oblivion
Author: Julie Eshbaugh
Series: Stand Alone
Genre: YA Fantasy
Published By: HarperTeen (November 12, 2019)
Source: ARC Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
My Rating: 4 Stars!


Book Description:
Astrid is the surrogate for Princess Renya, which means she bears the physical punishment if Renya steps out of line. Astrid has no choice—she and her family are Outsiders, the lower class of people without magic and without citizenship.

But there is a way out of this life—competing in the deadly Race of Oblivion. To enter the race, an Outsider is administered the drug Oblivion, which wipes their memory clear of their past as they enter a new world with nothing to help them but a slip of paper bearing their name and the first clue. It’s not as simple as solving a puzzle, however—for a majority of the contestants, the race ends in death. But winning would mean not only freedom for Astrid, but citizenship and health care for her entire family. With a dying father to think of, Astrid is desperate to prevail.


From the beginning, the race is filled with twists and turns. One of them is Darius, a fellow racer Astrid meets but isn’t sure she can trust. Though they team up in the race, as Astrid’s memories begin to resurface, she remembers just who he was to her—a scorned foe who may want revenge. Astrid also starts to notice she has powers no Outsider should—which could help her win the race, but also make her a target if anyone finds out. With stakes that couldn’t be higher, Astrid must decide what is more important: risking her life to remember the mysteries of the past, or playing a cutthroat game in order to win her—and her family’s—freedom.

*Amazon*B&N*

With an enchanting blend of fantasy and dystopian, The Crown of Oblivion was a breath of fresh air.

Wholly entertaining with flairs of magic, espionage, and a race to the death, it was a story that kept me engaged and rapidly turning the pages.

If you want something a bit different without being wholly unique but still fresh and new enough to keep you engaged and entertained, I definitely recommend giving this a try. It truly held my attention and left me captivated until the very end.

*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher, I was compensated for this review.*