Finally, a fantasy story that focuses on the empowerment of the female protagonist and their 
drive within the storyline. Not to mention being a total badass and a young woman who stands up for herself and what she believes in! And not just a typical 'can swing a sword (sometimes) and is pretty for other characters to look at' type of protagonist. I'm also pleased that the 'enemies to lovers' trope isn't at the forefront of the story, because I'm not a reader who is interested in the romantic relationships between two characters in any genre of book.

I do wish that 'The Cruel Prince' contained more magical aspects and had more interesting world building, as I find myself not caring for Elfhame and the written descriptions Holly gives us about the faerie world in general. I also don't like that the author just assumes that the reader is familiar with fantasy terminology, what the types of species characters are, and the rules of the world etc. Because as someone who is new to the fantasy genre and envisioning these created worlds, I don't find it entertaining to read if I struggle to grasp what it is that I am actually reading. 

Overall, I did enjoy 'The Cruel Prince' and was captivated by certain situations Jude found herself navigating.