Court of Fives by Kate Elliot is a Fantasy, Romance Young Adult Fiction novel that is set in a different period. The general problem of this story is that Jessamy wants to participate in the Court of Fives, which is a series of complex challenges with one overall winner. The top winner is seen as the best competitor and moves on to more higher ranks in the Fives. Jessamy is birthed into a family with a mother who is a Commoner and a father who is a Patron in the army. This type of relationship is frowned upon due to the Father’s class. Jessamy has three other siblings, but she is not the attractive sibling. Her father is not aware she has been secretly training for the Fives and planned to compete. He arrives home from the war and invites them all to the competition, which is uncommon since the family is of a lower-class. Jess sneaks out of the watch party, competes in the tournament, and purposely loses. Kalliarkos is the competitor who she let win. She runs into him when she returns to the watch party, and he asks about her skills and why she threw the competition. Jessamy has made a friend that will become both her lover and her competitor. She must choose between getting her dream or letting Kalliarkos getting his.

I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator has a British accent that was fitting with the book. This book was an intriguing read for me. I enjoyed a lot of the content and the romance.  I would have liked more information about the setting about the land they live in and how they got there. It is very intriguing how the author described Jessamy and her family as well as their traditions. There are a lot of myths and tales that are similar to old wives tales told to me as a child. The world is not filled with fairies, but there are a few unexplained instances that occur. Like shadows swallowing people whole, sparks dancing on the walls, and a baby who was given life after being declared dead. There is a lot of suspense throughout the entire book. I was on the edge of my seat, biting my fingernails, and waiting for the moment in the book when they are all safe. This book takes you on a thriller ride through love, family, honor, class, strength, and freedom. Jessamy is a sharp, witty, and smart main character of this novel serves as a role model to all of her sisters. Even though she gets teased and treated differently for her lack of beauty she still excels and manages to showcase strength instead. I would recommend this book to others who are looking for a book that has a medieval romance feel to it with young and older characters.

I rate this book a 4 out of 5 due to the lack of more background information. There were a few instances in the book where I was a bit confused. I will likely read the remaining items in the series but at a later date.