This was an average experience. I don’t think this is a book that I would recommend very often, but others might enjoy it more than me everyone has different taste. I'm not really sure how to rate this. I really enjoyed the concept of this with the cursed nobles, disappearing king, and the Order. It had good bones, despite characters that were a bit bland and super basic word building, but it never hooked me the way I hoped.
spooky-boos-buddy-reads

Extremely late giving feedback, I swore I clicked submit!

What an interesting book! It follows Cerise Solon, who's was trained to become a Seer, but who doesn't seem to have the much needed talent of sight. She is the second born child, and doesn't have any say in her future. She is hastily sent away to become the Half King - Kian Hannibal Mortaras acolyte after his previous one took her life. The problem is Cerise has no magic at all and cannot see the future as expected of her. She fears what she will do once everyone finds out.
As the book progresses, Cerise begins uncovering secrets and piecing things together.There are lots of twists and turns in this book along with magic, self-discovery, and a budding romance. It’s super interesting, and I’m curious what will happen next!

3.5 stars
-fantasy
-magic
-quest
-revelations about self and society
-finding a way to break a curse
-I will save him, I will protect her

[NetGalley Sample]
I won't give this an official rating as the sample only had 4 chapters and it wouldn't be fair to rate, but from what I've seen, this would probably be a 2.5⭐ for me.
Nice ideas and potential, rushed execution.

The beginning of this book feels like a guy that drags you to meet his extended family before he even asks you out for dinner. Everyone seems sort of nice, but you don't know where you fit in and everything moves like a whirlwind.

Before you realize it, you know that ambitious Seers should not have sex, 'cause it impacts visions, but you still have no idea how common Seers are or why there seem to be many?
Or why everyone seeks to be well accustomed with facts about the FMC she herself has just found out about like '5 seconds' before?

I guess this could be a good choice for someone who wants to skip all slow world introductions and wants to be thrown right into the story without preamble, and without worrying too much about 'WTF IS HAPPENING'??

Unfortunately, this sample did not motivate me to buy the full version. I might have read the whole thing and gave it a better chance if the ARC were complete, but it's probably for the best, since I'm already a bit perplexed about it.

Thank you for allowing me the chance to read a preview of this book!

While without the full book, this review will be based on the vibes to make me continue with the read. The premise is extremely interesting and I really like that the reader gets to learn more about the world and this curse alongside the FMC, Cerise. Having her story be more sheltered allows us to navigate these mysteries of evil alongside her.

I would be very interested to continue, especially with how the chapter ended and us finally getting a glimpse of the MMC!

This was so freaking sweet. I loved the fmc she was so good and pure. I'm tired of all these hard sparky bitter main characters and this is exactly what I needed. Very interesting yet Simple story, sweet fmc, even sweeter MMC!!! That man had not 1 insult to give her and their reasons to stay apart were true reasons that involved her sticking to her virtue/morals to honor the goddess and help save her man. He said what he felt and didn't try to deny or hide feelings it was so refreshing!

This captivating fantasy novel will enthrall readers with its immersive atmosphere and thrilling adventure, delving deep into the complexities of identity and the transformative power of self-discovery. As the protagonist navigates a world shrouded in ambiguity, where the lines between light and darkness blur, readers will be captivated by the rich and stimulating tale of growth and transformation.

The story's exploration of identity will resonate with those who have ever questioned their own place in the world, while the atmospheric setting and intricate plot will keep readers eagerly turning pages. With its thought-provoking themes and unforgettable characters, this book is a must-read for fans of fantasy and anyone who craves a story that challenges and inspires.

I have the amazing honor of reading the preview of this book!
Wow I’m taken back in the absolute best way ever!
The half king begins with this young lady who’s been dedicated by her family to serve .
In this world of magic and a form of religion ! I love the ideas and concepts ! In 5 free chapters I’ve been captivated , it left me wanting more and so I have purchased and I’m reading it now!
The world building is absolutely done perfectly and the writing style is phenomenal! Looking for a new world in the realm of dune and acotar ? This is for u!

Wasn’t really my cup of tea. It was only a teaser but I’m not inclined to pick up the book unfortunately.

The Half King is a textbook romantasy with family curses, a shadow MMC, a quest and plenty of secrets. As I rule I’m a bit of a romantasy hater 90% of the time BUT when something comes along that is original and develops the fantasy elements well I’m all in. Unfortunately this book is very similar to everything else coming out of the genre over the past year and it doesn’t add any value over the countless other books like it.

The Half King started STRONG. I was so into it when we were meeting Cerise as she is sent to court awaiting her powers to show themselves. Her early Interactions with the king are a lot of fun and they had great early chemistry. The role of family curses and bloodlines is intriguing and I couldn’t predict where this story was going to take me which is always an exciting experience.

Sadly once our characters became more acquainted and set out on their quest, repetition and genre cliches came out in full force. There’s not stacks of spice, but what is there is poorly written and had me cringing. While Cerise was developed pretty well, the MMC was a cut and paste from about 10 other books I can name off the top of my head.

I know there are people who loved these books and will eat up the same book in different fonts, but I’m not one of them.

Such an interesting start! The world and characters are instantly attention grabbing. I’m definitely tempted to pick up the full novel after this introduction.

Okay do I didn’t realize this was just a snippet. But it did its job and I was hooked. I instantly ran over to my bookshelf and grabbed my fairyloot copy so I could keep reading. 4.5 stars

I thought the world and how the magic system (curse system really) worked was very different and interesting from what’s currently being published. I loved the fight against the patriarchy and the fight against organized/corrupt religious system. I liked that there was a mix between predictable twists and less predictable ones. Even when you knew something was a bit suspicious it didn’t always go the way I thought it would. Overall I just vibed so hard with this book. The only thing that caught me was it was a little too insta-love for my personal tastes but I’m not mad about the relationship.

Kept me interested from start to finish. Overall really well written, loved the characters and I hope there is more soon.

Enjoyed the sample and can't wait to continue the story. Hope to finish rheqhile book soon. Thank you for letting me read the sample

I really appreciate Entangled Publishing allowing me to get a peek at The Half King! This especially works well for The Half King because the first four chapters are so fast paced. I definitely want to read the rest of the book ASAP!

Thank you Entangled Publishing and NetGalley!

great book and I loved the action and the romance . I loved seeing the friends and family. I loved that they were able to figure things out. Overall a great book .

I was pleased when Net Galley and the publisher gave me an ARC of this book … but the ARC was only a sample of the first four chapters. While the writing was fine, it seemed fast paced. I had no real grasp on the character or her world, but Cerise seemed decent enough. However, nothing in the four chapters I was given was enough to make me interested in spending money to buy this book, or take the time to get it from the library.

This book definitely lived up to the hype! I originally received this as an ARC but loved it so much I had to buy the book and listen to the audio version as well. The audiobook narration was exceptional, truly bringing the characters to life. I was captivated by the intense sexual and political tension between Cerise and the Half King, which added layers of depth to the plot. The story had plenty of action, all while weaving in a compelling underlying love story. Also the idea of firstborns being cursed, along with the revelation of Cerise’s powers and the mystery surrounding what really happens to the Half King at night, is such a fascinating spin on this concept. I cannot wait to see what will happen in book 2!


*Thank you to Melissa Landers, Entangled Publishing, LLC | Entangled: Red Tower Books and Netgalley for the ARC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

My Rating: 4
My Review- Thank you for the sample of the first four chapters and I have to say I love it so far. The first few chapters have given me what I think will happen in the story and that is Love, action, and mystery I like the female lead so far every kind and sweet but she does not know what is going on in her world, and the king I think will be a new book boyfriend for me. I am so interested in the book that I went to Barnes and Noble to buy it, and I can't wait to read the rest of the book this year.

I've learned my lesson here. That lesson is to not sign up for previews of ARCs. I think I've been cat fished by too many books to leave an honest review based on the first few chapters. It surely has potential and I do want to read the whole book eventually but for now my rating will have to be neutral.

Thank you to the author, Entangled Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC preview. I attest I am leaving these remarks honestly and voluntarily.