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bookrecsbyjess's review against another edition
Thank you to Red Tower for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
DNF @ 62%
Why I chose to read this book:
I got the FairyLoot edition with my subscription, and Red Tower sent me a physical ARC of it. It sounded like a book I would enjoy.
My thoughts:
While the premise of this story was interesting. I had a few issues with the execution. The pacing was all over the place. Sometimes I didn't want to put the book down, but then other times I was quite bored. I also didn't like how the magic system worked or how conveniently things worked out for the main character. Also, the romance was too rushed for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
kyalee's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
rainbowsandbookshelves's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Sexual content
Minor: Torture
timbitsreads's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I really liked this book, it was exactly the vibe I needed. A little bit of romance mixed in with a main quest. High stakes for the characters but not too heavy or high stakes as a reader. There were some very cheese moments The morning of Cerise's Claiming Day. If you know, you know but you have to expect that to a certain degree when it comes to YA books. I was a little surprised at the level of description in a couple of the romance scenes because of how YA the rest of the novel is, but if you're more of a spice reader you will find it pretty tame.
The characters are all pretty likeable, even the ones whom I didn't trust at first. None of the conflict comes from any of the characters dynamics within the group as they all get along pretty well. Even between Nero and Father Padron which I think could have added more 2nd act tension.
There is a mystery at play and the reveal was enjoyable, I knew where it was going but it hides an extra layer. I am very excited for the next installment and to see how the implications of the epilogue play out.
The characters are all pretty likeable, even the ones whom I didn't trust at first. None of the conflict comes from any of the characters dynamics within the group as they all get along pretty well. Even between Nero and Father Padron which I think could have added more 2nd act tension.
There is a mystery at play and the reveal was enjoyable, I knew where it was going but it hides an extra layer. I am very excited for the next installment and to see how the implications of the epilogue play out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, Blood, Religious bigotry, and Gaslighting
Minor: Grief
maddiewagnerr's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury
suzie2006's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
The Half King was well done and an enjoyable read, but not quite a four star read for me. Cerise and Kian as characters are likeable, but I feel like their relationship wasn’t done as well as it could have been. I wanted more tension, more angst and more development. I feel like it was 0-60 a little too quickly to be plausible.
Secondary characters were good but not great with 100 more pages I feel like Daerick, Nero, General Petros and Lady Delora could all have a little more character development. I also figured out some of the “twists” (but not all). There were also a few questions that were created but never resolved- I don’t want to list them, because I don’t like to write spoilers in my review. Since this is a series, it could be that they will be addressed in a future book- but somehow I don’t think so. I think the author feels like she tied up the loose ends with a couple sentences in the final 20 pages. If so, this is a 3 star read- solid instead of 3.25, so I am giving it the benefit of the doubt.
This is fundamentally a story about how power corrupts, the power of love (romantic and family) and how secrets and lies are never a good idea. This book has good “bones” and with a little more slow burn romance and character development this book could easily be a 4-5 star read, but in its current form I will read Book 2, but I don’t feel the need to re-read or keep this one. Good way to spend an afternoon, but ultimately a “one and done.”
Secondary characters were good but not great with 100 more pages I feel like Daerick, Nero, General Petros and Lady Delora could all have a little more character development. I also figured out some of the “twists” (but not all). There were also a few questions that were created but never resolved- I don’t want to list them, because I don’t like to write spoilers in my review. Since this is a series, it could be that they will be addressed in a future book- but somehow I don’t think so. I think the author feels like she tied up the loose ends with a couple sentences in the final 20 pages. If so, this is a 3 star read- solid instead of 3.25, so I am giving it the benefit of the doubt.
This is fundamentally a story about how power corrupts, the power of love (romantic and family) and how secrets and lies are never a good idea. This book has good “bones” and with a little more slow burn romance and character development this book could easily be a 4-5 star read, but in its current form I will read Book 2, but I don’t feel the need to re-read or keep this one. Good way to spend an afternoon, but ultimately a “one and done.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Death of parent
brethebookbean's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
2.5
2.5 ⭐️
Get it? Cuz half queen and this is perfect in half? Lmao
This book was…interesting. I have a lot of thoughts on the matter and a lot of ground to cover so let’s get started:
First what I liked. Well the setting was interesting. The magic interesting. The curse and the mystery was nice. I liked there wasn’t a love triangle and the side characters were kinda fun. But that’s all very surface level.
Let’s start with the broad setting and curse. The curses are interesting until you start to really try and logistic them out. When I heard one house was cursed with beauty I didn’t know what that meant. And then you don’t really get an idea of what the author means to say with that until the end of the book when it apparently hurts to look at the person the more you love them? The other curse of madness was kinda poorly defined since of the 2 or 3 bouts of madness this character shows are just him kinda like “here are facts about this animal” and then “oh haha! I understand this obscure thing now! Wild!” Which didn’t feel very detrimentally and anguish inducing madness to me.
Ok speaking of characters, they were…fine. Our main character is nice but horribly naive and literally stumbles into all the clues she needs to solve breaking the curses. Oh you need that journal? Here comes a random dude who happens to be holding it. Oh the clues are in code? Good things the resident smarty pants can break it within a couple hours! This is a habit the author makes multiple times, telling you things but never showing it on page.
There’s a lot of half baked ideas in this whole book. You can tell it’s trying to be feminist literature and be pro sex while discussing the bias towards men in the world and especially in religion but it all feels very half formed. At the end when the big reason for certain things being hidden was revealed I was confused until it was spelled out to me why certain people had a certain motivation. It didn’t make sense why the system was set up the way it was by their goddess and I couldn’t put it together how certain secrets were kept or things were hidden away.
The FMC shows up and just trusts the priests implicitly and then is shocked and hurt when 2 seconds later she figures out he’s lying to her about something. She remarks she’s tired of lies and manipulation but that’s really one of the only lies or manipulations done to her besides another character lying for a good reason that even the FMC agrees with and isn’t mad about. Which by the way that scene? The character has spoken to the FMC maybe twice and then decides to spill their whole tragic backstory when caught lying and then just takes a simple “I promise I won’t lie” and rolls with it.
Our main characters even go so far as to fall in love OFF PAGE. The pacing was very stilted at times. I think the author was good at writing scenes but not great at transitions or set up for those big moments. The attraction and romance with the king seemed to come out of nowhere since the character had spoken enough times to count on one hand, and then you’re followed by a response of “I fell in love when hanging out with the prince” you don’t even get to experience or see the things they do that make them grow to love each other. You’re just told “don’t worry it happens”. The first chapter or two is very fast and stilted, first cerise is at the ministry, then her parents are there so she’s talking to them, then her sister is also there, then the mother superior or whatever shows up and has a vision in front of her and then she’s like “you gotta gotta go to this kingdom right now immediately.” And then she’s there.
The final big criticism I had…was the smut. There are 2 smut scenes in this book where the author takes time to describe the acts of the book…but as vaguely as possible. “I grip him” “he puts his hands on me” like that. Now if this was YA I’d get it on some level (though any sex scene in a YA book should not being going into the details of what’s happening let me be clear!) but this book is advertised as adult romance. Just say what it is. We’re all adults here.
During the first scene there is no talking except for the FMC saying “more” and him doing things which lead me to imagine them having very quiet missionary sex.
Which once again, I wouldn’t despise but this is coupled with them not even SAYING the word “sex”. They keep calling it “the act of love” it made them seem so juvenile! Just call it what it is. I’m reading another book at the same time that is classified as YA and that book can say “sex” and “fucking” you should be able to too 😭😭. When he’s fingering her he hits her g-spot but you can’t say that apparently so they call it an “erotic spot inside her”. I wanted to scream “just say what it is!!” This book is classified as a “slow burn adult fantasy” or “New Adult” on the publisher website and if you’re going to include a sex scene where I’m following them all the way through you better not make it feel like something a 14 year old wrote on wattpad.
It felt clinical and juvenile, lesser sins include mentioning the “ring of hair encircling her naval” 4 different times, I get it he’s an adult man with BODY HAIR. You don’t need to remind me. And him calling her “slippery” which just gave me the ick.
All in all I didn’t hate the book. But the more I read the more the things that bothered me jumped out at me. Would I recommend it to friends? Sure if they want something kinda easy to read. Wouldn’t reach for it again or read the sequel? Nah.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Child death and Sexual assault
words_and_dreams's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
New Adult romantasy.
Entertaining enough, set in a fantasy world where the magic system/religion is basically Catholicism with magic. I understand that the author is using her real life experiences but it's very on the nose.
World building was fairly basic, the hero had very little personality or things to do.
I did like that the heroine was not the typical girl boss fantasy heroine and was more traditionally 'feminine' with life long believes she needed to overcome.
Being a romantasy, the love story should take centre stage but it was a little too insta lovey for me.
Bonus points for the dog like companion. 🐕
Entertaining enough, set in a fantasy world where the magic system/religion is basically Catholicism with magic. I understand that the author is using her real life experiences but it's very on the nose.
World building was fairly basic, the hero had very little personality or things to do.
I did like that the heroine was not the typical girl boss fantasy heroine and was more traditionally 'feminine' with life long believes she needed to overcome.
Being a romantasy, the love story should take centre stage but it was a little too insta lovey for me.
Bonus points for the dog like companion. 🐕
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Sexual content, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent
hannah_hearts_books's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Ok, I am a Romantasy junkie. Which is why I’m so conflicted about this book. However, this is the rating I’m going with. The Half King had so much potential. A king who’s doomed to disappear into the underworld each night, a power system where all first-born children are cursed to specific blood-born magic, and a priestess bound to help all the people in the land. Alas, there were some serious pacing issues, plotting was clunky, and there was a little bit of awkward dialogue. The ending was as great! It felt like it as written by an entirely different author, but by the time I got there it was too little too late. 😭😭😭
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, and Violence
Minor: Child death
gretka's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death and Violence