Waiting on Wednesday: The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye

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Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pick is:

The Crown's Game
Series: None
Author: Evelyn Skye
Published May 17th 2016 by Balzer + Bray

Goodreads Summary
Sixteen-year-old Vika Andreyev can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Eighteen-year-old Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters, and with the Ottoman Empire and other enemies threatening Russia, the Tsar wants an enchanter by his side.

Two enchanters in the same generation, however, are a rarity. And a problem. There is only so much magic in Russia, and it cannot be diluted. So the Crown’s Game was invented, a duel of magical skill. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the Tsar’s most respected advisor. The defeated is sentenced to death.

The Crown’s Game is not one to lose.

Of course, they both want to win. Until now, Vika's magic has been confined to her tiny island home, and she’s eager to showcase her skill in the capital city of St. Petersburg. It also doesn't hurt that the competition allows her to express her mischievous streak. Nikolai, on the other hand, is a study in seriousness. As an orphan with not a drop of noble blood in his veins, becoming the Imperial Enchanter is an opportunity he could, until now, only dream of. But when Vika and Nikolai begin to fall for each other, the stakes change.

And then, the stakes change again, as secrets from both their pasts threaten to upset the balance of the Tsar’s—and the Russian Empire’s—power.

The Game is so much more complicated than it looks.

Goodreads

Why I'm waiting:

This book just sounds amazing! Since I first heard about it on twitter, I was desperate to get my hands on a copy, and am so glad there's only a few more weeks left to wait.