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!!!

I really wanted to love this one, but I struggled to stay fully engaged. The premise and magical system are undeniably intriguing—a cursed king slowly losing himself to the shadows, magic and curses bestowed by a goddess who’s both merciful and wrathful, and dark secrets that could upend everything. It’s exactly the kind of story I’m drawn to. However, a few too many plot holes, underdeveloped characters, and uneven pacing kept me from fully connecting with it.

The FMC was a bit hard for me to like. She’s very naive and stubbornly religious, but then suddenly abandons her convictions and believes strangers without much hesitation. This inconsistency made it difficult to get a clear sense of her character. The writing style and pacing didn’t help, as the story skips briskly from scene to scene, leaving little time for characters—or readers—to process major revelations. I would have loved to see more depth and inner conflict as the FMC grappled with her biases and came to terms with her feelings.

That said, the last third of the book really picked up. The fast-paced events in the final chapters were exciting enough to keep me hooked, and the ending left me curious about what’s next. I’m hopeful that book two will build on this momentum and further develop the storyline and characters.

Overall, a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️ read.

Thank you to @entangled_publishing and the author for the #gifted e-book.

I appreciated the premise of this book, but I found the pacing a bit slow for my taste. The quest was intriguing, and I was eager to see how Cerise would ultimately break the curse, but the story didn’t truly engage me until around the 75% mark. The Epilogue, however, was captivating and left me excited for what’s to come in book 2.

The characters had potential, though I believe they could have benefited from deeper development. The magic system was fascinating, yet its complexity was a bit overwhelming for me.

While this book didn't resonate with me personally, I believe it might appeal to others. It is set to be released on November 19.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

✅ Forbidden Love
✅ Hidden Powers
✅ Adventure
✅ Found Family
✅ Family Tree Drama
✅ Political Intrigue

Holy Shmoly! 😍 this is a brand new Romantasy that is sure to have bookstagram/booktok in a tizzy!
Y’all this one is 🔥

I enjoyed every second of this book and read it in less than two days because I needed to know what happened next 💜

If you love strong MFCs, magic, curses, lovable animal sidekicks, and adventure, this one is for you!

10/10 recommend!

"An enigmatic young ruler who turns into shadow at sunset."

The way this author writes... Wow! Soft, enchanting and magnetic!

I have no words. The story sucked me in instantly. The first encounter with Cerise grabbed my attention and immediately stole my heart. I clicked with her right away. As the story progressed, I found myself falling in love with her personality!

At first I didn't really know where the story would go, especially with The Half King in the picture. But the more I read, the more I loved everything about this story. Plus, the side characters were so charming.

The storyline has some really nice twists and turns, some of them jaw-dropping.

I highly recommend this book. I, for one, can't wait for more.

The beginning of this story was a bit slow, but it definitely picked. There were twists and turns, some were expected but others not so much. I had many questions while reading and a lot of them got an answer which I love.
To be honest, I wasn't sure about the characters or the world when I first started, it all felt kind of basic. My view point on everything now has definitely changed. Everything definitely improved as the story went on, locations became more descriptive. Without spoilers, things about the characters improved.
There was also some spice, it wasn't overly done.

The gorgeous cover and description drew my attention. The characters and story held it. I do feel as though the world building could've used a bit more development. This would've aided in the story to avoid some small plot holes. The book overall was very good, and I look forward to whatever Melissa has planned next.

The Half King was unfortunately not for me. I went in hoping for a strong female lead story but mainly just felt that our protagonist was wishy washy and immature. The world building could be stronger but I liked the idea of the goddess and her two sides and the war of who to believe. Did the priests manipulate the true version of events and history of what the goddess gave her people when it came to gifts and curses? I just felt like the execution was lacking.
As for the characters - cerise was very immature and her personality kept changing. Daerick and Kian had attempts at humor but fell flat. The love story also had me questioning how we got there. I guess it was suppose to be a gradual thing but it felt instalove and lacking chemistry.

I greatly enjoyed the Half King, much more than I thought I would! Originally I didn't preorder this book (even though it is gorgeous) because I wasn't sure how I felt about the synopsis. But upon receiving an ARC I can confidently say this book kept me hooked from start to finish. The pacing is perfect, with enough happening to keep you hooked, but not too much that you feel like plot is flying at your head. I am also a sucker for an animal companion, so of course Blue is my favorite part of the book.
Overall I will definitely be recommending this book and probably ordering a copy for my shelf!

Rated 4.5 Stars

The Half King was a compelling read. It kept me glued to the pages from start to finish. I truly enjoyed this read even though I wasn't fond of some things that took. I loved this book it kept my attention from start to finish so that I devoured the second half today. It was much an adventure based read with twists and turns, some of which I definitely saw coming but that didn't take away from my overall enjoyment of this story. I'm beyond excited to see what happens next especially with the way things ended. I definitely recommend this read to one and all.

This got a 4.5/5 from me. I really enjoyed this book and thought the premise was great. The friendships and romance in this book were so adorable, and truly this book kept me on my toes to the end. I think the idea with the curses was so fun to read and that every first born could be saved if Cerise can solve the riddles. This did have some spicy scenes in it, but nothing too spicy and more romantic and cute because our girl Cerise is basically a baby to the world so all of her experiences are new. With that being said, I am sure to some people this could feel like a younger audience read with that in mind, but for me since I knew this was like her being a baby to the world, it did not bother me at all. My only con would be there were a few plot holes that did not get filled in through the book, but it wasn't anything that really detracted or mattered all that much in the grand scheme of the book. I cannot wait to see if this book gets a second series or not, and will definitely be pre-ordering the next one and hoping for another ARC!! Melissa Landers, you did some amazing work with the book!!

This book had a great story line but I found it really predictable! Cerise really evolved and came into her own! I loved her journey and that she always stood for what she believed in! Never faltered!

Blue was the underrated star of the book, absolutely loved that companionship! Spice level was probably a 1. I would give this book a 4 star rating!

4.5/5☆
2/5🌶

I DIDN'T KNOW THIS WAS A DUOLOGY!!! Oh my gosh, I don't want to wait years for the next one because once this grabbed me I couldn't put it down. Also, without spoilers, the last 10% knocked me on my ass and I dont have anyone to scream about this with. I need people to read this when it comes out.

“The goddess achieved perfection when she created women. We want for nothing.”

Read this book if you love a spicy, young adult, fantasy romance that is heavy on the plot, moderate on the world-building, and light on the character development. The characters are 20-21 years old, but because they were raised in a strict, sheltered, and very religious society, their emotional maturity makes them feel like teenagers.

This is one of those stories that captures your interest from the start. Our main character, Cerise, is someone who believes the best in people, loves animals as if they were human, and generally maintains an optimistic outlook on the world (she’s so cute - I love her). Unfortunately, when she is thrust into the world for the first time, she realizes that things don’t work quite like she was taught in her conservative, isolated sanctuary (been there - it sucks).

Don’t worry, there is some fun along the way. Our supporting cast includes:
👑 A handsome young king who likes to banter
👯‍♂️ His witty best friend who is always wearing a smile
🐾 An adorably ugly puppy that might be part goblin
🧓 A grouchy, old priest who might or might not hate her (we’re really not sure)

Overall, I loved the fantasy world and magic system, the supporting characters were incredibly endearing, and the plot twists truly surprised me. The emotional maturity of the characters sometimes made them seem shallow, so I feel like this book is more targeted for adults who love young adult romance (which generally isn’t me). Because of that, I probably will not continue with the series, but don’t let that dissuade you from giving it a chance.

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (3/5)

Don't start this one late at night unless you're willing to sacrifice sleep.

✨Fantasy Romance
✨Political Intrigue
✨Unique Magic System
✨Religious Undertones
✨Quest To Conquer Curses

I was pulled into this story from start to finish. The author's writing style is engaging and descriptive, it kept me turning pages all night long. She crafted an intriguing world that in my opinion would stand on its own even without the Romance, that was just an added bonus.

I really enjoyed the main characters there were times they gave me a really strong "Found Family" vibe with their playful banter.

My guard was up throughout most of this book unwilling to trust anyone fully because in a story like this a twist is generally lurking where you least expect it and I wasn't wrong because there was definitely a big twist that I didn't see coming.

I'll be recommending this book while anticipating the release of book two. Can't wait to read more from this author in the future!

Thank you Melissa Landers, Net Galley , Entangled Publishing LLC - Red Tower for providing me with an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

A king by day. A shadow by night. There’s only one way to save a dying king - and it lies with the one person who’s hiding the biggest secret of all.

I’m sorry to say it, but it was the magic system that stole the show in this book and not the romance. There’s a not so delicate line between religion and magic that is done really well - and the history of the curses is really unique.

I loved watching Cerise find her confidence and start to question the world around her. She handles her world being turned upside down and all her beliefs being questioned extremely well - and never loses herself in her growth. But this poor girl go though it at the end and I hope she gets a chance to at vengeance. As unladylike as it is, she deserves it.

But, the romance was very much in the background for me. I wanted tension and pining but most of the love story is simply explained and not experienced by the reader.

Those last few chapters though! 😳 The ending was full of action and twists and turns that had my jaw on the floor. I’ll absolutely be anticipating the next installment and cant wait to see where the rest of the story goes.

The plot of this was very intriguing, love is the center point but the focus is not on the typical romantic love. The magic and world building was unique. I genuinely enjoyed each of the characters and even though this was solely from Cerise's point of view even the side-characters felt as though they were main characters and I was very happy with how much they were on the page. I really want some fan art on what Blue looks like being so ugly he's cute (I pictured him as a shar pei hyena hybrid). The twist at the end (or twists) got me good. My only issue was that the romance between Cerise and Kian felt like it developed out of nowhere. Really looking forward to book two with that ending and am absolutley BEGGING for a lot more Nero!!!!

Thank you Entangled Publishing, their Facebook Insiders team, Melissa Landers, and NetGalley for the e-ARC!