The Pageant by Leigh Walker – A Book Review

Posted December 5, 2019 by Booksandblurbs in PNR, Reviews / 0 Comments

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The Pageant

(Vampire Royals – Book 1)

by Leigh Walker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dystopian, Fantasy, PNR
Available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited

Down & Dirty

This is a new take on an old theme, refreshed and touched with an aura of ‘The Bachelor’. Free on Kindle Unlimited.

What is it about?

(Blurb from GoodReads)

Who’s the fairest of them all?
Young women from every settlement in the land are being handpicked to enter The Pageant, a beauty contest reminiscent of Miss Universe from the old days. Gwyneth West’s social-climbing mother wants her to compete, by Gwyn isn’t so sure…
The Pageant is government-sponsored. If you’re lucky enough to be chosen, participation is mandatory. Aggressive competition is allowed, even encouraged.

And then there’s the prize…
The winner of The Pageant gets a marriage proposal from Dallas Black, otherwise known as The Dark Prince. Dallas is the son of King Black, who won the last world war and now governs the new settlements. The Royal Family is mysterious. Rumor has it they don’t sleep. Rumor has it they eschew the sun.
Rumor has it they’re immortal.
When Gwyn is thrust into The Pageant, she fights to survive the competitive nature of the other contestants.
But even if wins…can she survive a vampire fiancé?

Thoughts on The Pageant

This is a new turn on the vampire tales, fully enmeshed with a bachelor type feel and a dystopian shadow – with almost a hunger games kind of echo.

In an effort to join the people together and help foster peace, the vampire royals have opted to host a pageant, with the prize being the crown of the princess- and the hand of the dark prince. It feels unique, refreshing and is fairly well done, though the girl is incredibly stubborn and a bit naïve.

The Dark Prince himself is a bit hard to know in this first installment, he’s aloof yet interested, fervent yet uninformed – you get the impression that he, like Gywn, has been sheltered as much as one can be sheltered in this new world.

Pros:

Interesting concept.
There is more to the story.
Can’t help but love Gywn.

Cons:

Multiple POVs would be beneficial.
She is a bit TOO naïve.

Perspective

First person, single POV

Ending Type

Pseudo Cliffhanger

Rating

PG-15… (YA possible NA later on)

Romantic Dynamic

M/F

Character Age Range

18+

My Final Verdict on The Pageant

4 out of 5 Stars

I enjoyed this read; it ebbs and flows, throwing emotion as easily as it drops a dystopian environment. At the end of Book 1, no one quite knows who is in the right, or the wrong. Free on KU.

Published February 23rd, 2018
204 Pages