Ok this is definitely an upper level YA romantasy and when you take that into consideration the book is great. There is some non-closed door spice, but I wouldn’t call it egregious. But it’s a story of a girl who’s entire life has been a lie and she finds herself in the court of a shadow daddy who is basically a golden retriever for her. Together they manage to go on a quest to find a dagger needed to help end a 1000 the old curse. With that being said there was a couple things I didn’t see coming, but some I really did. I would still recommend it and will be patiently waiting for book 2

Landers pulled me into this story right from the very first chapter, and I was caught up in the action, magic, secrets, and romance until the very last page.

Cerise has a typical fantasy trajectory: plucked from obscurity, catches the eye of the tall, dark, and handsome character, discovers her destiny, and saves the day. But while the formula is familiar, Cerise's story has so many unique elements. From her backstory to her character development, the path Cerise found herself on was anything but ordinary. With many of the main cast of characters in their early 20s, Cerise's journey did have a lot of "chosen one meant to save the world" elements that I usually find more in YA fantasy, but Landers included so many other elements to this story that I didn't once mind any of the tropes that were used in this story.

I thought all the characters in this story were well written. Each one had their own strengths while also leaving me to question their motives or intentions at least once. I loved not being sure about how any of the characters would react to every new situation, but I especially loved being able to root for my favorites all the way to the end.

There were a lot of elements that went into this story. From rising up against the accepted norm, to undoing curses, to commentary on blindly following the group dynamic, this story ended up being so much more than just a girl saving the people she loves. I was truly wrapped up in Cerise and Kian's adventure from start to finish, and highly recommend The Half King.

“What do ladies want more: brains or brawn?”
“Neither. The goddess achieved perfection when she created women.”
-Melissa Landers

⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to @entangled_publishing for the eARC of The Half King, I of course had to put it with my gorgeous @fairyloot edition that arrived recently.

This book has a bit of a mixed review from me, there were some parts I really loved like the adventure and magic, plus that everything was created by a goddess. However, the contrast to that was some of the things that I think weren’t developed quite enough. There is a very insta-love feel to our couple, and by the end I felt less like this was a ‘kick ass woman power’ kind of book and more of a ‘I hate men’. Which is fine, and can work! But it left me a bit disappointed.

“My spirit doesn’t belong to me anymore. It belongs to the girl with too much love inside her, the girl whose light scatters the darkness. My spirit wants the patron saint of ugly pups, toxic frogs, and foolish half kings.”

Hands down the best part of this book was the interesting world building! Five noble families way back when decided to trick their goddess into mortal form so that they could kill her. It doesn’t work and instead she curses each of these families with different curses, and it only affects the first borns. Our king (and love interest) changes into shadow at every sunset, by the time he reaches his 21st birthday he will disappear entirely. Another family will gain all the knowledge of the universe and go mad, another has uncontrollable rage… you get the idea. I found the curses so interesting, and it pushed the story forward because we had a set deadline in order to save some of the characters.

This book also focuses heavily on an organized religion. Our main character, Cerise, is the second born and has been given to the church for training to be an oracle. I’m not an organized religion kind of person, and this book definitely highlighted some of the reasons why. The priests have a lot of power over people not only in the church but also outside of it, and they abuse that power a lot.

I DNF'ed at 20%. The writing style didn't appeal to me and I didn't understand the main character at all. At 20% I should have some sense of who she is, but she did confusing things like blurt out inappropriate remarks. I saw no reason to trudge through the rest of this.

I struggled with getting into this book. I liked the idea of the curses and that's what drew me to this book but it seemed to drag on and I wish we got more. The characters seemed younger than they actually were and that took me out of really getting to know them. I did think that the two main characters lacked chemistry together and I couldn't get into their relationship.

While this book did have some cool world building and an interesting idea for the plot, I was bored pretty much the whole time except for the last 20%. There were some surprises and twists that I enjoyed. I am still looking forward to having this book on my shelf.

The Half King is a book that delivered a lot of surprises along the way. I was a little nervous about a story that tackled religious indoctrination, but this book packs a powerful punch, showing how easy it is for people in power to mislead others when they twist things to suit their own agenda. There is a testing aspect to this story, but in spite of that, it doesn’t feel like an imitation of other stories that include testing. There are a lot of original elements to the story that set it apart, and that starts with the curses. The King’s curse is one of the most original I can recall from any book, and it was both fascinating and terrifying. Somehow, Landers found something worse than death or pain to curse someone with.

The personal elements of the story were also compelling. I want to avoid spoilers, so I'll only say the family secrets are all too familiar for some, and yet still weren’t what I expected.
I’m always looking for intriguing stories with original elements and characters that make me care about them. Personally, Landers delivered all the essentials for a fantastic story. I was completely hooked while I was reading it, and I don’t know what to expect from book 2, but I know I’ll be pre-ordering it the second it’s available.

The mystery behind every pair of eyes, the magic, romance, and darkness around every corner will suck you in so quickly you'll be shocked you've arrived to the end. I couldn't put this book down. I had to have more. I loved the characters and how they handled this world around them. The twists at the end had me in absolute shambles. I am so thankful to have been given the opportunity to read this ARC by @entangled_publishing. It was so amazing!

A goddess betrayed, a king who is cursed and a second-born daughter destined to save them all? Sign me up. Like no really, sign me up like last week. What I expected from The Half King and What I got were two very different things in all the best ways. Melissa Landers really delivered on this one, and I regret not reading anything by her sooner.

In a story with rich word-building, an original magic system, and jaw-dropping twists, The Half King was a breath of fresh air in the fantasy world. There are characters we will love to hate, in my honest opinion, an ending that I did not see coming. The slow-burn is burning, and I quickly fell in love with our FMC and MMC. I spent half the book picking my jaw up off the floor, and the cliffhanger at the end has me eagerly awaiting the second book in the duology. 10/10 a must read for 2024!

This book was so thrilling and gripping. I mean it was on the edge of my seat almost the whole time while.readimg it. Kian and Cerise were amazing. The magic and world building was phenomenal also that ending had me crying and whooping at the same time. This book deserves more than 5 stars.

5 ⭐️

The Half King was so so good!! Cerise, who was sent to the king’s palace to help break the curse that has plagued the lands for centuries, was smart, honest, pure of heart, and a little bit naive. King Kian, cursed to fade into a wisp of shadow every night, was hardened by his fate and closed off from the world. But together, along with a few friends they hope they can trust, they form a bond strong enough to shake the foundations of their beings while in search of the key to breaking the curse.

While I did hope for a little bit more of what made the romance between Cerise and Kian bloom, I was still drawn to them as a couple and the way their growing love helped them on their journey. I can’t wait to see what they can do side by side in the future.

I was holding my breath to find out who the traitor was in the end; I thought that reveal would be the twist of the book, but a completely different one was thrown out that I hadn’t seen coming at all. I was gasping! And that cliffhanger epilogue had me yelling wtf and itching for book 2 immediately!!

Also, I loved Daerick. He was so sweet and charming and smart and helpful and supportive. The ultimate BFF to both Kian and Cerise.

Thank you to NetGalley, Entangled Publishing, and Red Tower Books for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Super exited for this one! The book itself is stunning. The story is even better than book 1 . I seriously could not put it down

INCREDIBLE. I was hooked from the first chapter, I couldn’t put it down! I work full time, go to school and am a mom. I finish this book in TWO DAYS!! that’s saying something with the little amount of time I have I will definitely be purchasing to keep this beauty on my shelf and re read when I can 🤍

This was an enjoyable read. The FMC struggles with not knowing what the future holds for her. Throughout her journey, she meets some interesting characters, and as she tries to break a curse that is affecting not only the king but others as well, she learns some truths about herself. I loved the adventures that Cerise goes on and how, even without knowing what lies ahead, she never gives up. I definitely recommend this book its such a good read and there are some unexpected reveals near the end.

Thanks, Brittany from Entangled, for the arc. This was such an amazing story!

Shadows, magic, intrigue, forbidden love, found family... What didn't this story have?
I fell in love with this book from the first chapters. All first born nobles carry a horrible curse that manifests when they come of age. Cerise, the second born of a royal family has been conscripted to the temple of Shiera where she is to hone the ability to see the future (or the many paths it can take). Unexpectedly, she is called upon to move into the royal palace, become his royal majesty Kian's emissary and help him break the curse that will doom him to the shadows forever. The palace intrigue, enemies and friends that Cerise comes to experience were so well thought out and cohesive. The twists and turns were so well thought out and I didn't catch on to many of them before revealed. I don't want to give too much away (which I fear will happen if I say too much more😅) but I absolutely enjoyed every moment of this book and urge everyone to read it! You won't regret it.

3.25

I'll read anything with a shadow daddy.

I liked it, but I struggled with the writing being more on the simplistic side and tons of dialogue throughout the arc. I'm sure there will be edits though. Definitely a slow start, but I stuck with it. The story started to warm up midway and I did not see the plot twist coming. It felt more YA than New Adult, and I was hoping for more from the magic system and histories of the main characters. Maybe in book two? Still undecided about continuing, but I just might after that epilogue.

I'm still reeling weeks later.

Set in a world where noble houses are cursed and magic runs deep, we follow Cerise, a seemingly powerless acolyte thrust into a glittering court full of secrets despite her lack of experience. At the heart of it all is King Kian, a man who literally fades away each night, doomed to disappear entirely on his “claiming day.” The chemistry between Cerise and Kian is electric, building slowly amidst court intrigue and looming magical doom.

I absolutely loved the world-building and the way the author weaves together themes of faith, self-discovery, and the power of staying true to yourself. Cerise’s unwavering faith to her goddess in the face of doubts and abuse of power in the order was commendable.

And just when I thought I had it all figured out, the plot threw me for a loop with twists I never saw coming.

Cerise's journey from an outsider to a key player in the kingdom's fate had me cheering, while her internal struggles felt incredibly relatable. If you're looking for a page-turner that'll keep you up way past your bedtime, with a dash of forbidden romance and a heap of magical mystery, this is your next must-read.

A big shout out and thank you to the publisher for giving me this amazing opportunity to read The High King early! All opinions started in this review are my own.

Every reader’s relationship with a book is personal and special to them. It’s an emotional—sometimes even sacred—journey that is embarked upon everytime a reader flips open the first page of a book, be it on a paperback, hardback, a kindle or an audiobook.

A book can come easily to us, or with some effort; sometimes it even takes a few tries to connect to it. Each one is special in its own way, but those books that just flow from the first page straight into the doorways of our heart, will always hold a special place in our minds and lives. The Half King by Melissa Landers was one such book.

From the very first page, Landers had me enraptured by her words. With deeply emotional writing, that spears straight into the heart of the reader, The Half King starts off quietly but powerfully. Having gotten used to reading books that have loud and heart-pounding beginnings, I’d forgotten the beauty of subtlety. The whole book reads quite a bit like an orchestra. A quiet start, that immediately grabs your attention which then builds and builds to a crescendo that you never expect, that finally leads to an end that leaves your mind racing on the probabilities of what comes next.

The narration in The Half King is done primarily by the FMC and having always loved reading books in single person perspective, I sank effortlessly into Cerise’s mind. Having lived in the thoughts of our compassionate, determined and grounded lead for two days, I have two things to say: one, I have never felt more at home than when I was in Cerise’s mind and two, I have not a single complaint to share about my experience.

The fantasy genre—usually in any form it manifests in—is often known to render a great deal of pain upon the reader. Many readers nowadays begin their journey with a fantasy series with a strong fence around their hearts, bracing for pain and anticipating it at every corner. For the first time in a long time, I felt a sense of safety that comes from knowing that this book will not rake its claws into me in places that I am vulnerable in. No, this book will cradle my vulnerabilities and trade blows with me where I’m strong. Does this mean that there are no plot twists, or action, or pain or fear? Not at all. The book is teeming with emotion. Absolutely brimming with it. But it is so wonderfully done that anything you feel while reading will always remind you that you’re safe. Landers has you.

Often it’s easy to separate the different elements that make up a book and observe how they influence it. But in The Half King, all the elements worked together at the same time like a well oiled machine, in such a way that you could not separate one from the other. However, I will do my best to explain the nature of them as individually as I can.

The main plot of The Half King makes itself known at the most basic level very near to the beginning. Each page turn from that moment is nothing but the many needles that are dragged across the metaphorical tapestry of this story, to slowly create a complex artistry that makes up the heart of what this book is. There are many sub-plots to this story that add such a unique depth it, that in many ways we can all relate to. There are political, emotional, social and spiritual aspects to this book that I had not expected to encounter, but I absolutely adored.

The world created by Landers was so unique that it was truly a breath of fresh air. There maybe recognisable elements—such as a Priest or a Prince—but they’re all woven into a set-up that’s singular to The High King. However any book is only as good as its world building, and even though I may not be adept at picking apart where the world building starts and the plot and character arcs end, I can say that the transition I experienced from page one of knowing nothing about the world to understanding how the world works was smooth. With shocking revelations, strategic call-backs and stakes that build with every chapter, The High King was certainly a delightfully emotional read.

The pace of this book was wonderfully even. Other than perhaps a 10% in the last 80%-100% of the book that just races, the book remains wonderfully even, ensuring all the space and time required for all the elements of the book are provided judiciously. There was never a moment that I felt disoriented when I picked up the book after a short break, nor a moment of drag or confusion while reading it.

Trope lists have become a big part of what lures a reader to a book and this is very true for me as well. They’re a great way to keep us aware of what to expect and chase that high we got from the first time we read our favourite trope (that we’ve likely been searching for since then). One of my favourite tropes is actually the found family trope. I’ll never forget the first book that introduced me to it, and my heart will likely never not soften for whenever I see it on scene. Thus, the characters of a book are often my most vulnerable spot. If the characters are well done, then usually the book has secured itself a seat in my heart… and if they have a heartfelt connection to one another that comes from camaraderie and respect, there’s nothing I want more. I cannot explain the way the characters in this book—despite being quite a few—stole their way into my heart. The author has done a great job establishing each of them, writing their stories into their dialogues and hiding their secrets in their actions. The revelation of each character, their past and their stories is my favourite part of The High King. As painful as it may be, nothing in my eyes can be better than well written characters with heartfelt character growth and mutual respect and love for one another.

This book is a five star read for me. From beginning to end, the book embraced me in a warm hug that spoke to my soul, tickled my amusement and broke my heart. I highly recommend The High King by Melissa Landers, for it is silent, poignant and deadly in ways you’ll never see coming. Please check trigger warnings as always! A very happy reading to you.

I could not put this down and I fear it’s leaving me in a slump. This book had an interesting magic system, well written world building and believable characters that are easy to relate to. Our FMC grows in character a lot throughout the story, we get to see her struggles of religion when it affects her personal feeling, the struggles between what’s right and how she feels. (Getting big religion vs politics vibes throughout)

This book is a very slow burn fantasy romance with so much extra thrown in there. It does have some spice but that doesn’t take away from the story. It has adventure, action and mystery. The twists this book throws you through are wild, it really keeps you on your toes!

I cannot wait for book 2 !

"I won't let any harm come to you. Not as long as I'm alive. I swear it."

The Half King was good but it didn't feel memorable. It wasn't altogether special or unique. It was very simplistic, and there isn't much depth to the story. Which was disappointing because it's so pretty!!

Beautifully written and an amazing story. The author captivates you from the very beginning. If you love fairytale retelling then run to get this book!!!