I had an actual countdown on my phone for when this book would be released, so to say I was excited about it may be an understatement. And trust me when I say, this book was worth the wait.
Daughter of the Pirate King followed Alosa, a ruthless pirate loyal only to her father and her crew. After the events of the first book, I was eager to see what Alosa would do next. One of the things I loved most about book one was how unpredictable she was as a character, and she definitely continued to surprise me in the sequel. I was also eager to delve further into the relationship between her and Riden, as well as learn more about all of her crew. Daughter of the Siren Queen did not disappoint on either aspect. It continued to develop our main characters and further built a fascinating a magical world.
The plot of Daughter of the Siren Queen kept the fast pace that I loved in the first book, filled with even more action and adventure, while still keeping to a sense of a reality and truth. The characters had a lot to work through, and even more inner conflicts arise during the course of this book, leading them to grow and change even more. There were many new characters introduced, creating a more diverse cast in terms of race and sexuality (something I was very glad to see). The writing style maintained a great balance of humor, romance, heart, and action.This was one of the most fun and gripping books I’ve read in awhile, I had to fight with myself in order to actually get some sleep in between reading. This was a perfect sequel and finale, and I can’t wait to see what Tricia Levenseller will create next....more
I went into this book knowing only the very basics of it. I didn’t even know it was a Little Mermaid retelling until a quarter of the way through the I went into this book knowing only the very basics of it. I didn’t even know it was a Little Mermaid retelling until a quarter of the way through the book. Either way, it was absolutely epic and I loved every word. To see my review on my blog, click here! Overall: 5/5 Stars Characters: 5/5 Setting: 5/5 Writing: 5/5 Plot and Themes: 5/5 Awesomeness Factor: 5/5
If you don’t feel like reading this long review, here is my review in a nutshell: This book has a breathtaking writing style, diverse and interesting characters, and an amazing world filled with myth and magic. I would recommend this to any fantasy fan, or anyone looking for a dark twist on a classic.
“They celebrate love as though it's power, even though it has killed far more humans than I ever have.”
To Kill A Kingdom is a loose retelling of The Little Mermaid, following Lira, the daughter of the Sea Queen, and Elian, prince of Midas, pirate, and ruthless siren killer. Lira has developed a name for herself as heir to the throne and siren princess, the Prince’s Bane, for every year she kills one prince and steals his heart. Elian has made it his life’s goal to end the Prince’s Bane and sirens altogether. When Lira is cursed by her mother, she is made human and told to bring back the heart of the siren killer, but first, she must win over his trust.
This book takes place in a fantasy world filled with various kingdoms, each with their own myths and legends. All the lands that the characters go to are extremely well described, and you can just tell that they hold a rich history, even if there isn’t much time to delve into them. No place they travel to feels underwhelming, each location is just as fascinating as the last, but for entirely different reasons. The mythology was also really well written, and easily understandable while not being simple or cliche. Also, there are a lot of fascinating magical objects that I just really wish I could have in real life (like Elian's compass, or even Elian's knife)(don't ask me what I would use the knife for).
The writing style was probably my favorite part of this book. Alexandra Christo writes so beautifully, her descriptions vivid and dialogue entertaining yet true. I can’t wait to see what else she does, because she hooked me with this book. She managed to make the simplest lines feel poetic and beautiful. It was mesmerizing.
The characters in this book were also amazing. I love morally gray characters, and this book has a lot of them. While they do develop, there is no urge for them to be perfect people, because they aren’t and they don’t care to be. Lira and Elian were great protagonists, their secrets adding to the suspense, and their overall growth subtle yet clear. Lira is such a strong character. Having dealt with abuse and manipulation, her arc was amazing. Elian was also great. He’s cocky, noble, but also has a ruthless side. While he cares about his family and his kingdom, he also wants to live his own life and be free (something that usually feels cliche in fantasy right now, but with him, it felt genuine and understandable). Also, he’s so sarcastic and I live for it. The side characters were also great. The cast was very diverse, and the characters all well-written and interesting on their own. They were all likable and just so fun!
The relationship between Lira and Elian was another fantastic part of this book. Most YA books have a cliche love story (which I almost always adore), but I love how their story isn’t rushed or really on the forefront of the novel at all. It's just as subtle as their growth, and when it does happen it feels right, not in-your-face and forced.
To Kill A Kingdom is a Little Mermaidretelling, but it's so different. While there are a lot of parallels, it really is its own story. I absolutely love retellings, but I do know when they follow it by the letter, it can get boring. In this book, Alexandra Christo takes what we love from the original, and throws in her own twists and turns. It feels completely fresh and original, while also having that hint of the story we all know. So if you aren’t a fan of retellings, I would recommend picking this up anyway because of how much it makes the story it’s own. If you do like retellings, then 100% pick this book up right now why are you even reading this far into the review?
Pros- The writing is absolutely stunning, witty and enchanting characters, fascinating world, great mythology, honestly, everything is amazing. Cons- I am genuinely stumped, trying to think of some cons. I guess I wish we could explore this world more? But at the same time, it wrapped up so well… I don’t know. Don’t look to me for complaints about this book. Overall- 5/5 stars. To Kill A Kingdom is a fun, thrilling read with writing that will blow you out of the water....more
I picked this book up on a whim last year when it came out, and read it immediately, not expecting to love it as much as I did. Now that the sequel’s I picked this book up on a whim last year when it came out, and read it immediately, not expecting to love it as much as I did. Now that the sequel’s out, and I plan on reviewing that, I figured I should have a review for the first book.
To see my review on my blog, click here! Overall: 5/5 Stars Characters: 4.5/5 Writing: 5/5 Plot: 5/5 This is a great book for adventure lovers and people who are looking for a steamy romance with amazing characters and a thrilling plot.
“Oh, the ridiculous things one has to do when one is a pirate.”
Daughter of the Pirate King takes place in a world filled with ruthless pirates who will do anything for control of the seas, and follows the Alosa, the daughter of the reigning pirate king. After she gets ‘captured’ by enemy pirates, she must try to discover their secrets in order to find the map to a legendary treasure. The only thing in her way- the attractive first mate who is assigned as her interrogator.
This book is an extremely fun read, full of romance, action, adventure, and secrets. The world is vague, with the land politics and places not really mentioned, but life on the sea is shown in vivid descriptions. The plot is fast-paced, with plenty of suspense to add to the thrill. This book also has one twist that seems somewhat obvious, but then brings up with back to back surprises that completely threw me. The characters are all well developed, with great arcs and personalities that set them apart. Sometimes I did find the secondary pirates to kind of blur together, but the ones that you needed to pay attention to always stood out. I absolutely loved Alosa. She was cutthroat and unapologetically manipulative. She knew who she was and what she wanted, and she didn’t let anything stop her. Alosa was absolutely fascinating to read about, and probably one of the most badass female protagonists I’ve read. I feel like a lot of authors miss the target when they try to create strong women, and usually end up with annoying characters, but Alosa was one of the strongest, fiercest, and most compelling characters I’ve ever read. Riden was a really complex character, and I loved learning more about him through the book. It sets up for even more development in the sequel. The main relationship in the book is not only believable, but just amazing and I absolutely loved it.
This book was amazing. And now that I’ve read the sequel, I can say without a doubt that this a series you need to read....more
