Review: The Palace of Steel

Book  Blurb

The coup stole her family. The prison forged her identity. The desert built her army. Now Princess Maeve Moran stands at the edge of her destiny, claiming the Steel Citadel itself.

Haunted by bloodshed and betrayed by the very ones she thought she knew best, Maeve is forced to choose between vengeance and ruin. The truth of her lineage runs darker than she ever imagined, built on centuries of lies, magic, and death. To seize her throne, she must confront not only the tyranny of the usurper king, but the monstrous legacy of the first Moran.

As alliances crumble and the enemy closes in, Maeve's path to the throne demands sacrifices she might not have the strength to make. The hunt for retribution could cost her everything, and everyone.

In a kingdom forged of blood and iron, Maeve must will she become the queen her people need, or the monster they fear most?

Contains mature themes.

Review

This is book 3 in the series. You will have to read them in order. This book had me all over the place. It started out so good. The story picks up right where book two ends. The Leader's group of revolutionaries are still looking for information and ways to bring down the usurper King. But then about half way through I was starting to think I was wrong.
Maeve just got so whiny and defiant. Eoghan was trying so hard to make her happy. He wanted to do everything for her. Maeve honestly got so annoying, I wanted to kick her. Maybe someone should have. Eoghan must have a big heart because although he got mad at her, he continues to give her grace and love her.

We see lots of action in this one. Dragons. Other parts of the kingdom. I suspect some subterfuge by multiple sources. And so the second half of the book, although filled with information and lots of action, was just meh for me because of Maeve. I despised her so much for most of the last half of the book, that I considered a 3.5 for my rating.

But wait! Keep reading! No spoilers! The epilogue knocked me sideways. All kinds of lightbulbs went on. Did not even consider that cliffhanger as a possibility as I was reading. Thinking back to what I read, there were a few seeds maybe that hinted that way. I see where this is going--I think. I could be wrong and this is fine too. I am so much team Eoghan in this saga. He is a good man through and through and I can't wait for him to save the day and Maeve's heart!

Waiting patiently for Book 4! I need all the answers ASAP!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

About  the  Author 

Whitney Welsh Gibbs is a storyteller at heart, with a love for history and a curiosity for discovering new worlds—both real and imagined. She grew up on California’s Central Coast, where the fog-draped mornings and salty sea air helped spark the imagination that fuels her writing today.
She holds a Master’s in Intelligence and Security Studies from the University of Leicester and honed her craft through a blend of academic work and years of creative writing. Whitney has self-published three novels—Lucas Taite and the Mysterious Armor of God, Broken Anchors, and Lucas Taite and the Mountain of Örlög—each one earning praise and a growing base of loyal readers.

Her latest series, The Steel Citadel, published by Azala Press, brings together her love of layered plots, complex characters, and rich, magical worlds.

When she’s not writing, Whitney can usually be found reading, exploring new places, or catching up with friends—often gathering sparks of inspiration along the way. She currently lives in Burbank, California.

You can find her on Instagram and TikTok, where she shares behind-the-scenes looks at her writing life and upcoming projects.