--- product_id: 55678469 title: "The Orphan Queen" price: "$30.29" currency: USD in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.us/products/55678469-the-orphan-queen store_origin: US region: United States of America --- # The Orphan Queen **Price:** $30.29 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Orphan Queen - **How much does it cost?** $30.29 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.us](https://www.desertcart.us/products/55678469-the-orphan-queen) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description An epic fantasy filled with adventure, intrigue, and romance from the New York Times bestselling coauthor of My Plain Jane, perfect for fans of Graceling by Kristin Cashore, The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson, and Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. When Princess Wilhelmina was a child, the Indigo Kingdom invaded her homeland. Ten years later, Wil and the other noble children who escaped are ready to fight back and reclaim Wil’s throne. To do so, Wil and her best friend, Melanie, infiltrate the Indigo Kingdom palace with hopes of gathering information that will help them succeed. But Wil has a secret―one that could change everything. Although magic has been illegal for a century, she knows her ability could help her save her kingdom. But magic creates wraith, and the deadly stuff is moving closer and destroying the land. And if the vigilante Black Knife catches her using magic, she may disappear like all the others.... Enemies to Lovers: He’s the mysterious vigilante hunting magic-users. She’s a princess whose forbidden power is the only thing that can save her people. When their paths cross, sparks fly—and blades clash. Hidden Identity: To the world, she’s a refugee duchess. In the shadows, she’s an orphan queen leading a band of spies. One misstep could expose her secrets and cost her the throne she’s fighting to reclaim. High-Stakes Espionage: Wil must walk the gilded halls of her enemies’ palace, stealing secrets and planting lies, all while hiding in plain sight. But the closer she gets to the truth, the more deadly the game becomes. Magic with a Price: In a world where magic is outlawed, Wil’s power is both a gift and a curse. Every spell she casts creates wraith, a toxic byproduct that corrupts the land and creates monstrous beasts. Review: Epically strong heroine and a handsome masked stranger - ****Won a free ARC through a giveaway***** “The Ospreys, these children, were my life. Without them, I had nothing. But with them… With them, I would take back my kingdom.” This is most definitely one of my favorite books of all time! It has monarchy/kingdom plot elements, love, combat, thievery, forgery, action and adventure. It has questions of identity and morality. For readers of all ages this is a story that would appeal to you. "They were grotesque, with bulging shoulders and arms, the muscles bursting through their clothing. Two were enormously tall, practically giants, while the others were as wide as doorways. All of them were revolting with red-veined eyes, cheekbones like shelves, and fat lips. They stank of wraith. They were glowmen: men turned into monsters." If you've read the Incarnate series you know that Jodi Meadows has a very distinct writing style. The only way I can explain it is by calling it "soft". Her description, dialogue, and storyline are very pretty and poetic. Nothing wrong with it, its just very different. Even her characters tend to be the softer, thinker, dreamer types. In Orphan Queen she takes a turn towards the more "hard" style. Details are more clear, more harsh, more real. The mirror palace was so cool to imagine as Jodi describes it! There is not always one right answer in OQ, and even if there is only one choice it is not an easy choice to make. The plot surrounds a deposed queen living as a thief and forger, her gang, the Ospreys, other orphans from the defeated kingdom of Aecor, a vigilante bent on stopping all magic use and cleaning up the Indigo Kingdom, and an unlikable, cold and aloof, prince. Jodi asks difficult questions in this novel, making the reader think hard about what they would do or what they think Wil should do. Both Wil and Black Knife have to decide who they want to be and how they want to accomplish their goals. "Women are constantly underestimated. Women can be just as cunning and clever as men, and oftentimes are. Our triumph is simply overlooked or unnoticed, because men do not expect it or know to look for it. . .Use your perceived insignificance to your advantage. Its what we all do." The worldbuilding in OQ is exceptional. While I have an ARC, I am eagerly awaiting the finished copy so I can get a look at the awesome map I hear it has! No reader, whether they usually read fantasy or not, should have any problems entering the world of OQ and understanding the history or the use of magic. It is all well described and outlined without any obvious or boring info dumping. While I learned little about the other kingdoms in this world, I would find that information extraneous since our main characters are all from the Indigo Kingdom and Aecor and the other kingdoms are slowing being eaten by wraith(the dark material believed to be created by magic use). "A queen who wouldn't protect her subjects was no queen at all." I love the multi-faceted characters! Wil is just an amazing main character. Wilhelmina Korte, deposed Queen of Aecor, forger, thief, impersonator, good with knives and an animator, able to awaken inanimate objects and have them follow her commands. She is a fabulous role model for young girls. She is strong and intelligent, but cares for and protects her people and those that can't care for or protect themselves, even citizens of the kingdom that destroyed hers. A true queen who knows how far to go for the people she loves while still drawing a hard line for herself that she won't cross. She struggles, realistically, with the decisions she has to make due to the responsibility she feels for the orphans who depend on her and the fate of her kingdom. “Try to be polite." "I'm always polite." "You're always eyeing people's valuables. That's hardly polite.” Melanie is a great foil for Wil. While Wil is motivated by duty and has a strict value system that controls her actions, Mel is motivated by love and allows herself to be lead astray by people she loves. Mel seems stricter, more determined to do what needs done to restore Aecor and return Wil to the throne. In reality Mel loves Wil and Patrick and allows them to tell her what she should do, where Wil thinks independently and refuses to kill to get what she wants and won't put her Ospreys in danger. Mel's humor is also a good foil for Wil's constant state of worry and serious-ness. In the end I think Mel is proving to be a valuable friend, and a quick thinker. "A memory welled up, like blood from a thin cut, of standing on a ledge and watching my city burn. My hand in Tobiah's. Tobiah Pierce and me: this was why the Indigo Kingdom had won the One-Night War." I could write epic poems devoted to Black Knife and how much I love his character, unfortunately that would involve a lot of spoilers! Continuing the theme of multi-faceted and troubled characters, we have Black Knife. He is a vigilante who seems to be a thorn in the Osprey's sides. However, his motives are very pure, he wishes to keep the Indigo Kingdom safe by stopping all magic use, catching all the bullies and vandals, and by eliminating the wraith drug trade. He starts out as Wil's enemy but evolves into so much more, especially when we find out his secret identity! He is a man who makes mistakes but when confronted, does what it takes to fix them and admits his wrongs. “I was there was the war began. And when it ended.” The secondary characters in OQ help bring the story to life, and no character feels flat. Patrick is one of those love to hate characters. Prince Tobiah is both intriguing and annoying. James, his bodyguard provides useful information and some depth to Tobiah's character. The other Osprey's give Wil's character more meaning, providing both motivation and explanation for her actions. They give a face to the ambiguous goal for retaking Aecor. Every character and description in Orphan Queen is both beautiful and necessary in its own way. If you haven't preordered you most definitely should! Review: Great Start to a New Fantasy Series! - The Orphan Queen has so much hype surrounding it and it really does deserve it. I really enjoyed reading this one and I cannot wait to read the Black Knife novellas and The Mirror King. I LOVED Wil. I loved that she was fully aware of who she was. It seems that most royal heroines discover their birthright or get on the throne through another way, so it was nice that Wil already knew she had a kingdom to take back. I also loved her growth as she took on her role as a leader. I loved her morals and toughness (that didn’t turn abrasive). She seemed . . . different from most royal heroines Black Knife was one of my favorite parts of the book. Oh my, he was amazing. I puzzled over his identity for such a long time. I was sure he was one guy, but I didn't want to get my hopes up too high, so I was also open to the possibility for him to be another guy. It was a mystery for me, which just made the book more enjoyable. I loved Wil and Black Knife's dynamic. They made an awesome duo and OH, the chemistry! I loved it--simply loved it! James was a delight and Tobiah was a grump. I loved both of them, for the most part. That’s all I’ll say about them. Melanie was a good character. I appreciated the presence of a partner in crime, of sorts. She gave the small friendship focus. I would like to get to know her more, though. I really liked the world. The mirrors, the wraiths, the glowmen, the danger, the magic...it was REALLY cool. And pretty well built. I need more of it! I really want to learn more about it. I loved the action! There was no dull moment. I also liked how the book dived into it right away. The ending had a big twist--and I do mean BIG. You can sorta see it coming (or maybe I'm just saying that because I had been fearing the event that did happen to actually happen). I refuse to believe it! Yet . . . I've come up with many reasons to believe it. It was a like I was in shock afterwards. I was staring at my computer screen with a blank, wide-eyed stare. There’s a reason why there’s an #OQSupportGroup on Twitter. I wasn't COMPLETELY wowed by the book, but I feel like the sequel will make this series a new favorite. This happens to me with fantasy series a lot, though. I really like the first book, but don’t LOVE it. I usually like the sequels more. (This happened with the Throne of Glass series and maybe even the Grisha Trilogy.) Overall, The Orphan Queen is a great start to what I expect to be an amazing YA fantasy series. You don’t want to miss out on this one! Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars *I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #1,872,973 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #874 in Teen & Young Adult Historical Romance #1,471 in Teen & Young Adult Dystopian #1,704 in Teen & Young Adult Fiction on Girls' & Women's Issues (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 976 Reviews | ## Images ![The Orphan Queen - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71MzYtzgZ0L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Epically strong heroine and a handsome masked stranger *by K***S on March 10, 2015* ****Won a free ARC through a giveaway***** “The Ospreys, these children, were my life. Without them, I had nothing. But with them… With them, I would take back my kingdom.” This is most definitely one of my favorite books of all time! It has monarchy/kingdom plot elements, love, combat, thievery, forgery, action and adventure. It has questions of identity and morality. For readers of all ages this is a story that would appeal to you. "They were grotesque, with bulging shoulders and arms, the muscles bursting through their clothing. Two were enormously tall, practically giants, while the others were as wide as doorways. All of them were revolting with red-veined eyes, cheekbones like shelves, and fat lips. They stank of wraith. They were glowmen: men turned into monsters." If you've read the Incarnate series you know that Jodi Meadows has a very distinct writing style. The only way I can explain it is by calling it "soft". Her description, dialogue, and storyline are very pretty and poetic. Nothing wrong with it, its just very different. Even her characters tend to be the softer, thinker, dreamer types. In Orphan Queen she takes a turn towards the more "hard" style. Details are more clear, more harsh, more real. The mirror palace was so cool to imagine as Jodi describes it! There is not always one right answer in OQ, and even if there is only one choice it is not an easy choice to make. The plot surrounds a deposed queen living as a thief and forger, her gang, the Ospreys, other orphans from the defeated kingdom of Aecor, a vigilante bent on stopping all magic use and cleaning up the Indigo Kingdom, and an unlikable, cold and aloof, prince. Jodi asks difficult questions in this novel, making the reader think hard about what they would do or what they think Wil should do. Both Wil and Black Knife have to decide who they want to be and how they want to accomplish their goals. "Women are constantly underestimated. Women can be just as cunning and clever as men, and oftentimes are. Our triumph is simply overlooked or unnoticed, because men do not expect it or know to look for it. . .Use your perceived insignificance to your advantage. Its what we all do." The worldbuilding in OQ is exceptional. While I have an ARC, I am eagerly awaiting the finished copy so I can get a look at the awesome map I hear it has! No reader, whether they usually read fantasy or not, should have any problems entering the world of OQ and understanding the history or the use of magic. It is all well described and outlined without any obvious or boring info dumping. While I learned little about the other kingdoms in this world, I would find that information extraneous since our main characters are all from the Indigo Kingdom and Aecor and the other kingdoms are slowing being eaten by wraith(the dark material believed to be created by magic use). "A queen who wouldn't protect her subjects was no queen at all." I love the multi-faceted characters! Wil is just an amazing main character. Wilhelmina Korte, deposed Queen of Aecor, forger, thief, impersonator, good with knives and an animator, able to awaken inanimate objects and have them follow her commands. She is a fabulous role model for young girls. She is strong and intelligent, but cares for and protects her people and those that can't care for or protect themselves, even citizens of the kingdom that destroyed hers. A true queen who knows how far to go for the people she loves while still drawing a hard line for herself that she won't cross. She struggles, realistically, with the decisions she has to make due to the responsibility she feels for the orphans who depend on her and the fate of her kingdom. “Try to be polite." "I'm always polite." "You're always eyeing people's valuables. That's hardly polite.” Melanie is a great foil for Wil. While Wil is motivated by duty and has a strict value system that controls her actions, Mel is motivated by love and allows herself to be lead astray by people she loves. Mel seems stricter, more determined to do what needs done to restore Aecor and return Wil to the throne. In reality Mel loves Wil and Patrick and allows them to tell her what she should do, where Wil thinks independently and refuses to kill to get what she wants and won't put her Ospreys in danger. Mel's humor is also a good foil for Wil's constant state of worry and serious-ness. In the end I think Mel is proving to be a valuable friend, and a quick thinker. "A memory welled up, like blood from a thin cut, of standing on a ledge and watching my city burn. My hand in Tobiah's. Tobiah Pierce and me: this was why the Indigo Kingdom had won the One-Night War." I could write epic poems devoted to Black Knife and how much I love his character, unfortunately that would involve a lot of spoilers! Continuing the theme of multi-faceted and troubled characters, we have Black Knife. He is a vigilante who seems to be a thorn in the Osprey's sides. However, his motives are very pure, he wishes to keep the Indigo Kingdom safe by stopping all magic use, catching all the bullies and vandals, and by eliminating the wraith drug trade. He starts out as Wil's enemy but evolves into so much more, especially when we find out his secret identity! He is a man who makes mistakes but when confronted, does what it takes to fix them and admits his wrongs. “I was there was the war began. And when it ended.” The secondary characters in OQ help bring the story to life, and no character feels flat. Patrick is one of those love to hate characters. Prince Tobiah is both intriguing and annoying. James, his bodyguard provides useful information and some depth to Tobiah's character. The other Osprey's give Wil's character more meaning, providing both motivation and explanation for her actions. They give a face to the ambiguous goal for retaking Aecor. Every character and description in Orphan Queen is both beautiful and necessary in its own way. If you haven't preordered you most definitely should! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great Start to a New Fantasy Series! *by K***N on March 19, 2015* The Orphan Queen has so much hype surrounding it and it really does deserve it. I really enjoyed reading this one and I cannot wait to read the Black Knife novellas and The Mirror King. I LOVED Wil. I loved that she was fully aware of who she was. It seems that most royal heroines discover their birthright or get on the throne through another way, so it was nice that Wil already knew she had a kingdom to take back. I also loved her growth as she took on her role as a leader. I loved her morals and toughness (that didn’t turn abrasive). She seemed . . . different from most royal heroines Black Knife was one of my favorite parts of the book. Oh my, he was amazing. I puzzled over his identity for such a long time. I was sure he was one guy, but I didn't want to get my hopes up too high, so I was also open to the possibility for him to be another guy. It was a mystery for me, which just made the book more enjoyable. I loved Wil and Black Knife's dynamic. They made an awesome duo and OH, the chemistry! I loved it--simply loved it! James was a delight and Tobiah was a grump. I loved both of them, for the most part. That’s all I’ll say about them. Melanie was a good character. I appreciated the presence of a partner in crime, of sorts. She gave the small friendship focus. I would like to get to know her more, though. I really liked the world. The mirrors, the wraiths, the glowmen, the danger, the magic...it was REALLY cool. And pretty well built. I need more of it! I really want to learn more about it. I loved the action! There was no dull moment. I also liked how the book dived into it right away. The ending had a big twist--and I do mean BIG. You can sorta see it coming (or maybe I'm just saying that because I had been fearing the event that did happen to actually happen). I refuse to believe it! Yet . . . I've come up with many reasons to believe it. It was a like I was in shock afterwards. I was staring at my computer screen with a blank, wide-eyed stare. There’s a reason why there’s an #OQSupportGroup on Twitter. I wasn't COMPLETELY wowed by the book, but I feel like the sequel will make this series a new favorite. This happens to me with fantasy series a lot, though. I really like the first book, but don’t LOVE it. I usually like the sequels more. (This happened with the Throne of Glass series and maybe even the Grisha Trilogy.) Overall, The Orphan Queen is a great start to what I expect to be an amazing YA fantasy series. You don’t want to miss out on this one! Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars *I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I fell hard for this new fantasy series starter, and here's why! *by A***S on March 20, 2015* When Jodi Meadows announced she was releasing the first of a new fantasy series, The Orphan Queen, last year, it was no surprise that I was overjoyed. As a big fan and book pusher of Jodi’s debut Newsoul series, there was no question that I wanted to get my hands on this story! When an early copy made its way into my hands, I tore through it immediately – and then waited a month or two before doing a reread. If I were going to sum up my feelings about The Orphan Queen, it would be like this: OH. MY. GOODNESS. But obviously, I won’t leave y’all hanging like that. So, here’s a bit more detail on what I thought of The Orphan Queen: Part I: The Parade of Players Well-portrayed characters are an essential element of a great story. If there’s one thing I can count on Jodi to do, it’s to create an entire cast of characters for me to love or hate, depending on the character in question. There are many characters introduced in The Orphan Queen, but here’s a quick breakdown of some of the main players Wilhelmina Korte: She’s the princess of the lost kingdom of Aecor, a rebel and spy who operates as part of the Ospreys, a girl too young to take on so many difficult endeavors and capable of wielding magic. Because of her multiple identities, we experience a lot! We are witness to the secret planning sessions, but also see court affairs, the corruption of the Indigo Kingdom and the pursuit of the truth about magic. Wil is easy to like, because she’s clever, capable and determined to fight for her kingdom. She’s always in the thick of things, unwilling to let others fight her battles for her. I really liked seeing how conflicted she could be about what was right or wrong, what was truth or a lie, because it felt like a real struggle that any person – teenage princess and heir or not – would go through too. The Ospreys: This is the group of rebels, all that remains of Aecor’s nobility, and mostly children at that. They’re led by Patrick Lien, the son of the former general of Aecor, whose ultimate goal is to help Wil regain her throne and her kingdom – whatever means necessary. The dynamics between the members of the Ospreys are real interesting as there are usually different opinions on how to handle certain situations. Tobiah: He’s the crown prince and heir of the Indigo Kingdom, which means he’s got a whole lot of responsibility to deal with. He heads up the committee that studies wraith and how to fight them, for instance. Tobiah gives off the distant, aloof vibe of someone who feels superior, often quiet and just on the edge of civil during social gatherings. However, he also often demonstrates kindness, compassion and loyalty when a situation calls for it. Black Knife: He’s a masked vigilante, who appears to have made it his mission to rid the city of wraith and magic users (also called flashers). While he appears to have good intentions for those without magic, it’s still questionable to think about what does happen to the magic users he happens to capture. Still, he’s got a full range of fighting skills and there’s just something so appealing about a masked renegade trying to make the world a better (in his eyes) place. Part II: A Spectacle of a Story The Orphan Queen tells a story with multiple plots threads. While this could potentially be a mess, I’m of the opinion that Jodi masterfully wove them all together to create an incredible story tapestry.Each word contributes to the weaving of this incredible tale. There’s magic, mayhem and magical mayhem; there is enmity, friendship and romance; there are secrets and lies, truths and reveals. It’s a concoction of major proportions, and it goes down so smooth for the reader. Part III: Emotions on Exhibit If there’s one thing the Newsoul series taught me, it’s that Jodi isn’t afraid of putting her characters in difficult situations. She stays true to the story, no matter what sort of high emotions it’ll provoke in the reader. While I was reading The Orphan Queen, I felt happy, sad, angry, fearful, restless, content, tense… Let’s just say that I was emotionally wrung out (in the best way) by the time I hit that (very emotionally volatile) ending. Part IV: The Telling of Truths There are additional specific things that I feel should be mentioned about The Orphan Queen. Here are the truths I can give you about my reaction to the book, shared rather haphazardly and instinctively: It starts off a bit slow. But that’s only because Jodi has to set the stage and players for this story properly before it commences, and I’d say it’s totally worth it. It has less action than you’d think. While there are some great fight scenes described, and some really scary stand-offs too, this story actually has a heavier focus on Wil learning about herself, her capabilities, her loyalties and the truth about magic and wraith. The magical aspect was easy to understand and a curiosity. It’s fairly simple to note that there is magic and that it grants the person with one special ability. What is really going to be interesting is seeing how this wraith problem will be dealt with, whether it’ll be defeated with or without magic. Oh, and finding out what will happen to the people who do possess magical abilities too! I loved the friendships. There are some great friendships portrayed here, both established and new. There’s even a point where friendships and loyalties wind up being tested too. Jodi paints these friendships in a real light, and I enjoyed them tremendously! I loved the romance. Oh yes, of course, there is most definitely a romance here! Jodi writes another swoony first kiss scene, which is her specialty. But she approaches the romance in a decidedly different way than in her first series, and I appreciated that. And may or may not have swooned a lot over it too. Part V: A Reader’s Recommendation All in all, it’s pretty safe to say that The Orphan Queen has cemented a place for itself among my favorites! (And I’m totally not surprised because it’s Jodi, and I love her stories.) Once again, Jodi has woven a captivating tale riddled with characters that I adore and a plot that had me gasping, yelping, tearing up, yelling… Well, you get the picture. Any book that inspires such a strong emotional response from me? It’s totally worth the read. So, this is my official recommendation for The Orphan Queen – YOU should read it, whether you’re a fantasy newbie or veteran! --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.us/products/55678469-the-orphan-queen](https://www.desertcart.us/products/55678469-the-orphan-queen) --- *Product available on Desertcart United States of America* *Store origin: US* *Last updated: 2026-08-01*