i loved this one even more than the cruel prince, finished 70% in a day! ooft the romantic tension between these enemies is crazy and that ending was rather out of pocket, didn't quite expect it to play out that way

thoughts while reading

p57: I bet you he knows exactly what he's saying, his inebriation is just a mask to hide behind
p101:

it'll be jude locke wants to crown queen of mirth i bet

p143: ooft is it hot in here
p207: seriously ghost
p222: omg i can't believe i didn't fully consider that the traitor might

directly be working with nicasia

p240: all i can say is that jude is a badass. what a queen of deception
p260: i know again from spoilers that

carden does get poisoned somehow so i'm extremely curious to know if jude actually poisons him, or someone else

p277: i'm really loving that all jude's dresses have pockets!! you can tell this was written by a woman
p281: what the heck is

carden's mother

doing there
p283: well if

carden's sprawling then he's already been poisoned. was it madoc?

p285: what did i say
p295: now this is why jude is in charge
p305: this. is. insane.
p307: recurring theme of i know due to spoilers:

this'll be why jude gets banished. whoopsie, killed your brother. least it was self defence though

p313: go carden
p317: well damn

quotes

"Kiss me again," he says, drunk and foolish. "Kiss me until I am sick of it."

I still feel the warm pressure of his fingers against my skin. Something is really wrong with me, to want what I hate, to want someone who despises me, even if he wants me, too. My only comfort is that he doesn't know what I feel.

"I hate you," I breathe into his mouth. "I hate you so much that sometimes I can't think of anything else."

"I wasn't kind, Jude. Not to many people. Not to you. I wasn't sure if I wanted you or if I wanted you gone from my sight so that I would stop feeling as I did, which made me even more unkind. But when you were gone—truly gone beneath the waves—I hated myself as I never have before."

"It tastes like dirt."
"It is dirt."

Content Warnings

takarakei's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense 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? Yes

3.75

Girlie pop really can't trust anyone.

Some pacing issues in this one that made parts a bit slow. But there were some iconic scenes between Cardan and Jude. This shit truly is real enemies to lovers, and I ate that up.

Content Warnings

daenerystargaryen's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Content Warnings

orakuruno's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Now this is an enemies to lovers

Content Warnings

vereadsbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

It took me a while to return to Elfhame, but I finally did it! I loved the first book, The Cruel Prince, and I knew I’d enjoy reading The Wicked King just as much. It didn’t disappoint at all. The book was fantastic!

Oak is safe and sound in the human realm with Vivi. Cardan sits on the throne, still controlled by Jude, who operates behind the scenes, scheming and strategizing every move. Jude tries to stay one step ahead, knowing enemies surround her. She lays the groundwork for her plans, but she faces strong opponents.

The Queen of the Undersea, Orlagh, seeks to break the peace treaty she had with the previous king. She thinks Cardan is weak and uses this opportunity to rule the Fae Realm. Meanwhile, Prince Belkine schemes against Cardan from prison. And then there is Madoc. His dual role in Jude’s life is intriguing. Madoc is her father figure but also the murderer of her parents. He sees her potential and respects her to some extent, which means he wants to take the power she holds.

This book is absolutely insane. The intricate political maneuvering and unexpected plot twists captivated readers in The Wicked King. The fairies are dangerous. Its fickle and treacherous nature is even more pronounced in this installment.

The chemistry between Cardan and Jude is electric. This is truly an enemy-to-lovers story. Their mutual hatred is intense, yet the attraction between them is so strong that they cannot deny it. I still haven’t gotten over that ending. (I knew he would betray her. I didn’t imagine it would be like this.)

Holly Black is the queen of the fairies. Through her writing, this fantastic, wicked, and harsh world comes to life, trapping us in its web with no way out.

The Wicked King is addictive, like fairy fruit. This book contains political intrigue, deception, romance, fantasy, enemies-to-lovers dynamics, betrayal, and a lot of drama within its pages.

Content Warnings

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