To Kill A Kingdom ✦ Alexandra Christo

Genre: Fantasy Fiction

Morgan’s Rating:

In a bizarre turn of events, I managed to finish two books in a matter of a couple days. I finished To Kill A Kingdom in two sittings, primarily because fantasy fiction is my jam. Hello Harry Potter brethren.

Let’s take a brief look at the Amazon synopsis:

Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most–a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever.

The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby–it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good–But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy?

Amazon

Sooooo…think the Little Mermaid but YA because, like…murder. All the way down to the sea witch and the blazing red hair.

I’m going to work backwards because when I think about this book, the first thing that comes to mind is the big fight scene at the end. Nope, this isn’t a spoiler because I’m not telling you who the fight involves. Just know, the details are so elaborate, I felt like I was there. It was way past my bedtime and I knew I needed to be up early the next morning and even though I was barely managing to stay awake, I just had to finish!! It was so descriptive and detailed!

Let’s be clear. Elian and Lira are not good people. They’re both ruthless killers who are basically just misunderstood kids trying to escape their parent’s overwhelming expectations. I don’t know why they were so stressed, it’s not like they have kingdoms to run or anything (lol). I love the transition from merciless murderers to the strong, independent personas they develop. I kind of wanted more from their little romance, but it’s cool, they’re still my faves. We could have at least had a happily ever after though, since it’s basically a dark fairy tale.

I absolutely loved the secondary characters in this book! I wanted to hear more of the relationship between Kye and Madrid and I think Kahlia was also a great supporting role. As much as I dislike her, the Sea Queen gave me such Ursula/Maleficent vibes and she was the perfect villain for this story. I adore nuanced characters, they add so much umph to a plot.

I would have loved some additional books set in this universe since the world-building was so intricate, but sadly, this is a standalone. Perhaps it’s better this way, it makes the universe more magical. Either way, I adored it!

In conclusion: This is a quick and easy read. A must for fantasy lovers!

Thanks for dropping by my blog! Stay tuned for more must reads in the near future. Laters, babes.

I’m drinking: Y’all. It’s holiday season. I’m willingly handing all my money to Starbucks for their seasonal drinks. This one was a toasted white chocolate mocha because it makes me happy. 10/10 recommend that too.