Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

I loved reading this book! I love her writing, and this standalone sounded really fantastic! And it was, I loved watching these characters navigate the perils of this new world as well as the politics between the different groups, working for survival and for power.

These characters were so great to read about, as they navigated this changed world where there is so much danger, and they've made these schools their safe havens. But the politics within the schools is pretty fierce. When Kat is kicked out of Jefferson, it's lucky that's she's brought to Moore High. Well, maybe, but it's not easy.

Oh, but there was so much going on in this book! I loved following these characters as they navigated this world, as they schemed and plotted, and it was just such a well done story! I was on the edge of my seat, wondering what was going to happen next!

The way things ended, it could stay a standalone, but I would absolutely love for it to be a series, to spend more time in this world, with these characters. Given everything that they went through and learned, and where we left them, a sequel would be fantastic!

Loved reading this book, and I can't wait to read more by Lily Sparks!

It’s tough to really invent something new in the YA Dystopia subgenre anymore, but Lily Sparks has done exactly that here in this fun and original story.

Part monster dystopia and part modern day Lord of the Flies, this is a terrific story about who winds up in charge when all the adults are, um, absorbed into enormous, murderous monsters.

If that sounds kinda bonkers that’s because it is, but in the best possible way. There’s a good balance of action and menace with social hierarchy and politics, and of course, the age old idea that absolute power corrupts absolutely. Suffice it to say that the actual monsters aren’t the only monsters in town.

I can’t stress enough how much we NEED a sequel to this one, so I hope this excellent story gets the attention it deserves. It’s sweet and funny and never tips over into the saccharine, and it avoids the whiny angst that we too often get in YA fantasies. This one really made me care about its world and its characters, and I need to know what happens to them after the concluding chapters of this book.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

This feels like a such a unique premise, especially for dystopian YA which has seemed stagnant in the last few years! Like Mad Max meets The Society, which I wouldn't even have think of mashing together. But this book actually works! It feels very honest in terms of being a child/teenager in such a horrifying situation. but at same time giving their characters to grow and make adult, rational decisions, without making it feel oddly placed. I also liked that the book is set 'after', instead of taking us through the play-by-play of the actual apocalypse — we're forced to go along with it while simultaneously wonder what happened. Basically, this was a great adventure, it felt incredibly fresh for the genre, and the plot and characters really tied it together!

Thank you to Netgalley and North Star Editions for the ARC!

The premise of the book was really interesting and it had been a while since I read a dystopian young adult book that did not feel like a mix of the ones that became incredibly popular in the past decade. However, I struggled to finish it due to several reasons.

Firstly, the greatest strength of the book: the plot is very interesting and it successfully explores the human nature in a post-apocalyptic setting. The teenagers in the book feel (mostly) believable in how they behave and interact, though I feel their knowledge (especially in some medical settings) was a bit overplayed.

The world-building was scarce, but it felt sufficient until the epilogue, in which I felt things didn’t make much sense. In fact, that’s my main gripe with The Merciless King of Moore High.: it felt like it kept jumping from one place to another, so it got confusing often. Especially during the first half, it felt like the author had a list of things that she had planned to happen on every chapter, but the story didn’t necessarily call for them to happen that quickly, or needed some more context or paragraphs in between; it didn’t quite flow.

The characters were also very interesting, but the plot kept dropping characters to go back them 100-200 pages later, so it was really hard to be invested in their arcs and stories, especially in the case of the secondary characters. A lot of them get introduced very early and disappear for most of the central part of the book. I also feel Max, Brick and Jess would’ve needed to go a bit deeper into their backstory to actually make the reader care for some of the things they reveal and the outcome of their plot points.

Overall, it’s a fun book and not very long to read. I think the author has very interesting ideas and is on the right path to make very compelling characters, but in my opinion she just didn’t quite get there with The Merciless King of Moore High.

Oh I LOVED this one! We're thrown right into the action, this is not really the unfolding of the apocalypse, but the middle of it. Kay finds herself, for the first time in ages, outside the school walls- and being rescued by a neighboring school. It sounds funny (and it is, at times!) that the school has wizards and royalty, but it is also a darker tale of what happens when people get too much power. Truly, I could not put this book down. I adored the characters, even when they were making messy choices (because come on- who wouldn't make a bad choice here or there in the end times?) and the story itself was so compelling! Between the monsters- called "Growns" or "dragons", depending on who's talking- and the political mess and the sheer survival of it all, mixed with the characters' relationships with each other, the whole thing was a HUGE win. And the ending is not a cliffhanger, but does leave the story open for more- and I personally am BEGGING for more!!

This book is a wild ride. In a world where only teenagers have survived an apocalyptic event, and adults have morphed together into "dragons," we have many groups fighting for control.

In one enclave, a successful kingdom; in another, the Student Council leads a starving mass. When the two groups meet, not all is what it seems.

The Merciless King of Moore High is a rich tapestry of political schemes, murders, love affairs, betrayals, and much more. Its plot twists and turns incessantly, keeping you guessing about whom to trust until the very end. This gripping narrative compels you to remain glued to its pages, eagerly devouring chapter after chapter to uncover what happens next.

I was captivated by the diverse and well-developed cast of characters. Each one was distinctively characterized, making it easy to distinguish them—a feat not often achieved in storytelling.

If the idea of "Post-Apocalyptic Gossip Girl" makes your ears perk up then definitely check this one out.

4.25/5

This was an entertaining dystopian following two high schools in the aftermath of every adult suddenly mutating into giant monsters. I thought the premise was fun and it was interesting seeing how the students handled having to move forward and make a new society.

I wanted more information about the world at large and what was happening to trigger only adults into changing, but we only see what the kids know and they have no outside contact. It did seem like things were moving in a new direction by the end though, so maybe a sequel someday?

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Flux and NetGalley for the copy.

I ended up not finishing this book. I felt thrown into the midst of something I didn't understand right from the get go and no matter how hard I tried to wait to see how the world was explained and built, I couldn't get past the confusion I felt and decided I'd stop reading then and there.

An enjoyable foray back into teen genre dystopia. Lily Sparks always creates enjoyable characters, dynamics between them, and romances. This novel is no different. Including multiple POV characters adds to the depth of the narrative on top of it. Moore High doesn't shy away from the brutality and rough edges of its post-apocalyptic setting. The characters were in real danger and the tension was held high. It's a thrill ride the whole way.

I love the idea of this and I think it will hit for a lot of teen readers who crave dystopia. It reminds me somewhat of [book:Gone|2536134] but more weird and less gross. It's not my precise cup of tea as a reader but I'm glad to have it on my radar for teen readers advisory.

Young Adult Fantasy: Apocalyptic, Morally Grey, Kingdom of Kids, Adults are Monsters, Witches & Wizards, Love Triangles, LGBTQ+ rep

This is:
⚜️ It’s an apocalyptic teen drama
⚜️ There’s feudal type political drama with a modern twist
⚜️ Dragons Dudes, Dragons! (Well sorta)
⚜️ Morally gray heroes and villains
⚜️ And a chaotic love triangle

⚠️: 🔪, violence, ☠️, gore, body horror, starvation, suicidal ideation

No one knows why nine months ago the adults in Brockton started morphing into twisted masses of decaying flesh that coalesced into large mutated creatures, but the teenagers at Jefferson and Moore high schools came together in varying ways to survive the monstrous “Growns/Dragons.” Jefferson has a “democratic” leadership led by student body president, Kyle, who’s been tasked to find help. When Kay Kim tries to present an idea to the remaining leadership and learns a shattering secret, she is forced out and left to die. Fortunately, she is saved by cheerleaders from Moore High, who have a thriving society—food, shelter, and safety. While impressed, Kay is horrified that they are governed by a king named Max, but she’s desperate for asylum.

However, asylum isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, as Kay can barely stomach bowing to a overlord who runs Moore on a feudal system from his favorite video game. Moreover, asylum isn’t free, and Kay must be invited into one of the groups and face a dragon to earn the right to stay and petition King Max for aid to Jefferson. When Kay discovers a faction pursuing democracy, she quickly falls into their machinations, despite knowing Max is convinced she’s a spy. Within days, her presence shakes loose secrets and threatens the core of Moore and Jefferson’s societies. With things spiraling out of control, neither school’s government may survive the fallout.

The Merciless King of Moore High has an interesting premise, and I hoped to really enjoy it. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get into it. The political intrigue works for the setting, but wasn’t intriguing to me. Since this is the core of the narrative, I struggled to stay engaged. Like many dystopian stories, Merciless explores ideas of choice and autonomy and how removal of guard rails exposes the darker sides of ruling, in a framework of political, courtly machinations fostered by underlying trauma and teenage decision making. The story is told from three POVs: Nirali Chaudri, student vice president and doctor at Jefferson; Randall Brick, Max’s best friend and his Captain of the Guard; and Kay, the main POV character.

Moore is like Lord of the Flies, while Jefferson is more Animal Farm. Max and Brick killed a dragon the day it happened. With their heroic action (and a vision from Max’s own personal Merlin), Max is crowned king. Max’s word is law, and being at Moore means slaying dragons to expand their safe zone to take back Brockton. Most students go along with this edict, except a small dissenting group that wants a democracy—without a plan for creating one. The school is stable and the students are thriving, but the underlying discord means Merlin (the real power at Moore) has her work cut out for her maintaining the peace and bolstering King Max as their lord and savior.

On the other hand, Jefferson is starving in filth and infestation. A committee was quickly established to quell panic, but the leaders have no plans. Everyone has simply hunkered down to wait for Kyle. They live by ten laws, with the holy, unspeakable one being no one can question if Kyle is still alive. Like Merlin, Nirali knows that maintaining order at any cost is the name of the game now. The students will start dying within a week, and all she can do is hold the ship together until it sinks. Her need to hold onto power isn’t as blatant as Max’s, but Nirali, like Kay, is convinced she always knows best.

Brick is my favorite POV character. Though he is the quietest vocally and spiritually, he has the most resonance. Despite his appearance and reputation, he’s kind and does his best to help Kay. His love and loyalty to Max are the backbone that holds their society together, as he keeps Max as grounded as possible given how quickly the power went to his head. Max immediately goes from a fraught relationship with his parents who made him feel invisible to being doted on as a king. Max also seems to love Brick as much as he resents him. Brick is his best friend, but also the recipient of his father’s affection; Brick is his loyal second-in-command, but also the actual slayer of the initial dragon. In Max’s mind, Brick could easily usurp him in the affections of his subjects, which is a toxic mixture that can explode with a moment of imbalance.

Kay is an easily influenced wrecking ball. She “can’t keep her mouth shut when she knows she’s right” no matter the cost. Though pleading with Max to help Jefferson, her utter disdain undermines her cause. Kay believes lying is evil—full stop. She clings to her version of the world: democracy is always fair; leaders never lie; and there is no greater good worth lying for. Kay comes into Moore pretty hot—challenging the people who saved her life minutes into being there. She’s quick to judge the totalitarianism at Moore, but blissfully ignorant to its less extreme sibling, authoritarianism at Jefferson. Her leaders set the rules and breaking the sacred one is punishable by three days without food, but Kay fails to see how this crushes free thought and is as merciless as Max. Kay is the avatar of civility and honesty, so her teenage, completely black-and-white worldview makes sense, but being dogmatic is her whole personality. Having her grapple with the discomfort of acknowledging someone’s point of view/reasoning and still stand up for her convictions creates a more interesting character and a nice developmental arc. I don’t mind characters who make mistakes and who don’t learn from them, but make them interesting. Kay is one-note, and spending time mostly in her POV was trying.

That being said, overall Merciless is good. It’s not a romance, and the main romantic element is between two straight teens with a fleeting glimpse of queerness being a kiss between two young women. The story is actually more mystery than fantasy, as the Where’s Kyle? of it all mixes into the power plays. There’s minimal world building, but it’s sufficient. There are some of the standard superman antics, such as three dragons (whose smallest are the size of SUVs) rolling up into an enclosed space and being taken down somehow, or a character getting shot in the thigh, but basically walking it off a day later with occasional lightheadedness, but they aren’t overly distracting. The secondary characters, dragon-killing training, and fights are well done, as is the pacing. The first half is a bit slower and heavier, but it sets up the domino effect of the latter half. The ending is open-ended, but darkly funny for its short-sightedness and has a sacrificial air that Moore would enjoy.

I think the bar may have been set too high for The Merciless King of Moore High. I’ve read many YA and non-YA books with the same beats and settings, including adults becoming monsters. The best ones have a unique angle, compelling characters, and/or both; for me, that isn’t true here. However, it’s still entertaining. I adored Brick and found Nirali and Merlin’s chess master sparks nice. The environment and magnitude of Moore’s operation is vibrant, and I’m sure others, especially that target audience, will find more to like.

I'd rate this book a solid 4 stars. It packs a punch with its tension, boasting an intriguing concept and a plot that had me hooked from the start. The story keeps you on the edge of your seat, itching to find out what happens next.

However, while the concept is fascinating, the execution falls a bit short for me. Some crucial aspects are left unexplained, leaving me scratching my head at times. Additionally, the pacing feels rushed, with events unfolding rapidly and little room for the story to breathe. It's like hurtling through a rollercoaster without a moment to take in the scenery.

Overall, despite its flaws, I still found myself captivated by the book's gripping storyline and unique premise. It's a thrilling ride, but one that could have benefited from a bit more polish and depth in its execution.

The story is different in a refreshing and exciting way. I enjoyed the newness of the idea of the Growns or dragons, but despite the fast pacing, the wide cast, and so many things happening in each chapter, I also felt like nothing's being said or explained much. I have so many questions about the characters and their new world, but the ending only left me confused and curious. It felt like things were only getting started, and this book was just a huge prologue. 

I loved Sparks' Teen Killers Club series, and I've always liked how she writes details and paints that mental picture for the settings and scenes. It made things vivid and has helped me enjoy her books more. I wish she wrote her main characters a little differently from each other, though. I'm starting to see patterns and similarities between this book's main characters and the TKC characters. If I remove references to Kay's physical appearance and her name, she sounds just like Signal to me.

I love the idea of this, but the execution left something to be desired, I thought. Nothing was really explained well enough - although I always want more details, so maybe that's just me! - and everything happened very quickly, with no real space to breathe. If the series continues, I'll definitely try the next one, because I think there's definite promise here, but just this book didn't quite do it for me.

This book was such a fun read! The idea that adults could turn into monsters leaving the teenagers to fend for themselves is such an intriguing concept! The characters were fun and the love triangle was honestly very entertaining and added to the tension!

Title: "Merciless King of Moore High"

Rating: 4/5

"Merciless King of Moore High" is a captivating journey into a dystopian world where the rules of survival are constantly shifting and alliances are forged in the crucible of chaos. From the opening pages, the novel grabs readers by the throat and plunges them into a world teeming with danger and intrigue.

At the heart of the story is a unique premise: a world where adults have transformed into bloodthirsty monsters, leaving only teenagers to navigate the treacherous landscape of survival. This concept alone is enough to pique the interest of any reader, offering a fresh and imaginative take on the dystopian genre.

While the love triangle elements may not appeal to everyone, they add an extra layer of tension and complexity to the narrative, serving as a reminder that even in the midst of chaos, matters of the heart cannot be ignored. However, for those who prefer a more straightforward storyline, these interactions may come across as somewhat predictable and clichéd.

Despite this minor quibble, the novel excels in its ability to weave a complex and politically charged narrative that keeps readers engaged from start to finish. The intricacies of the hierarchy and power struggles within Moore High are expertly crafted, adding depth and nuance to the story.

One of the novel's greatest strengths lies in its writing style, which is both immersive and engaging. The author's skillful prose draws readers into the world of Moore High, making it easy to become invested in the fate of its characters.

Overall, "Merciless King of Moore High" is a compelling read that offers a tantalizing glimpse into a world where survival is paramount and nothing is as it seems. With its blend of action, romance, and political intrigue, this novel is sure to leave readers eagerly anticipating what comes next from this talented author.