ROYAL BASTARDS by Andrew Shvarts

Being a bastard blows. Tilla would know. Her father, Lord Kent of the Western Province, loved her as a child, but cast her aside as soon as he had trueborn children.

At sixteen, Tilla spends her days exploring long-forgotten tunnels beneath the castle with her stablehand half brother, Jax, and her nights drinking with the servants, passing out on Jax’s floor while her castle bedroom collects dust. Tilla secretly longs to sit by her father’s side, resplendent in a sparkling gown, enjoying feasts with the rest of the family. Instead, she sits with the other bastards, like Miles of House Hampstedt, an awkward scholar who’s been in love with Tilla since they were children.

Then, at a feast honoring the visiting princess Lyriana, the royal shocks everyone by choosing to sit at the Bastards’ Table. Before she knows it, Tilla is leading the sheltered princess on a late-night escapade. Along with Jax, Miles, and fellow bastard Zell, a Zitochi warrior from the north, they stumble upon a crime they were never meant to witness.

Rebellion is brewing in the west, and a brutal coup leaves Lyriana’s uncle, the Royal Archmagus, dead—with Lyriana next on the list. The group flees for their lives, relentlessly pursued by murderous mercenaries; their own parents have put a price on their heads to prevent the king and his powerful Royal Mages from discovering their treachery.

The bastards band together, realizing they alone have the power to prevent a civil war that will tear their kingdom apart—if they can warn the king in time. And if they can survive the journey...

 Opening line:
"Princess Lyriana came to Castle Waverly two months after I turned sixteen."

I have to admit the title threw me off when I first got the book. But as I read I totally understood the title. The story is full of adventure, tension and a plot to stop a war.
Tilla is the main character, or bastard. Placed to the side so her father king can produce legitimate heirs, she longs for his approval and love. She's never invited to go places with him or sit at his elbow at dinners. She's relegated to the 'bastard' table in the back, far away from others. Her best friend is her half brother, another bastard, Jax. Miles is from a royal house but is also a bastard BUT his mom said she would make him legit soon. He hopes to marry Tilla. One fateful evening, two more bastards join the table: Zell, a son from a warrior clan, and Lyriana, a visiting princess who rules over all the lands. She's not so much a bastard, but we learn through the story that being a bastard isn't always from a illegitimate marriage.
These five are thrown together in a mission of survival after they witness a horrific murder. Their faces are plastered throughout the land so they are on their own to get to the country of Lyriana's cousin who she vows will protect them. The tension is taut, thanks to all who are hunting them down to kill them, including Zell's crazy brother.
There is magic and romance and great characters. They all grew as their quest moved along. The bad guys are real, the twists are surprising but then again, not, and the fights are great. Their is a bit of a love triangle, some generic tropes but there is also funny dialogue, world building and character growth.
There is a scene with talking about their "conquests," a make-out scene that turned into something more (while not graphic still...) and plenty of swearing.

I look forward to reading the next book!

Thanks to netgalley for the early read.