🩷 Book Review 🩷
📚 The Orphan's King
💫💫💫💫

Thank you Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I started this book and finished it in a day, it was that good.

The first chapter absolutely sold me and I never looked back. But if I ever see you Romero... yeah we will be having a chat...

I just wish to start with saying that this book has a dark undertone for characters that are quite young. These people get injured a lot, I mean it feels like at least one person per chapter and the medically accurate descriptions can be a bit gross to some people. Me, I was fascinated because I enjoy anatomy and have studied it extensively.

Back to the book, Kayo and Rose have a very interesting dynamic. Kayo is soft (and nothing wrong with that) and sweet (anyone like a cinnamon roll?) and he is young and believes the best in everyone (oh to be young). Rose on the other hand can easily switch between brutal and caring, its like she has emotional whiplash but she has a lot of baggage with her. This dynamic is interesting; Kayo doesn't wish to take risks and Rose is determined to push him to his limits. The relationship? Enemies to lovers eventually I think but we aren't there yet (maybe book 2?).

This is a great story about a group of kids just finding their way together and finishing their place

Full of intrigues and complex characters, this book keeps you captivated and you will always wonder what is going to happen next (characters’ decisions are quite unpredictable).
I feel like this first book was focused on characters’ development and that the main big actions - the ones making the story move forward) will come through the next books (there is still a lot of actions in this book though).

I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to see where the story goes next.


Beware, a very few scenes are quite graphic (especially the beginning).

Definitely a solid start to the series! The book opened with quite the start...introducing one character whose impact is everlasting on our main cast and the other, character who I've grown to despise immensely...which is quite impressive writing to evoke such a strong reaction! The premise is quite interesting... it took a while to understand the different groups of people/factions and how they tie into the larger story but the plot is quite unique. Our two leading characters Rose and Kayo are quite different in terms of their background and personalities so it was enjoyable to watch how their interactions slowly progressed from potential friends to enemies to maybe friends again. I did enjoy Rose as a character though some of her behaviors seemed a bit over the top/very reactive to how I thought her character was developing. She seemed to go from quite content at her new group of "friends" to raging at them and then back to more or less neutral but I definitely understand that we was wronged by them initially. I loved how she was a badass and did the job that needed to be done when they were in trouble and I'm so excited to see her growth and the role she will play in their initiative to bring back the Beggar's King.

Review: I am a bit confused by Rose and the story line she rides. In the span of a few pages she is smiling uncontrollably as per her perceived acceptance of Kayo and friends. Then, turn the page and she is attacking and promising betrayal, death and retribution. This repeats itself throughout most of the novel. This constant personality regression fails to create tension and is anathema to the growth of any character.

Rose is written as a survivor but constantly fails to grasp simple logic that would lead to awareness. Mostly she is a hyper-reactive red headed idiot (Meow?) with a mysterious past along with just about everybody else. Rose and Kayo are compelling characters, yet their respective builds overlap without logical progression. I found myself re-reading the publisher's description to remind myself where this is going.

The writing is technically good. Scene development is spot on, and the action is well crafted, when it happens. This novel was mired within an orphange and a Kings castle. So not much goes on in the old world building department. I still liked the novel in spite of itself.

The main character was really well-written flawed but relatable, and I appreciated that the side characters actually had depth instead of just being there to move the plot along. The pacing was a bit slow in the middle, but it wasn’t enough to ruin the experience. Also, the writing style was really strong without being overcomplicated, which made it easy to get lost in the story.

Overall, it’s a great read with an engaging plot, strong characters, and a world that feels alive.

I appreciate the opportunity but unfortunately I will not be finishing this.

The pacing moved the story along well but by the time I reached about 60% I didn't feel like much had happened? They were just fighting each other.

☆ Fun Factor 4/5
☆ Writing Style 4/5
☆ Characters 4/5 (A small cast that we spend a lot of time with)
☆ Plot 4/5
☆ Setting 4/5
☆ Feels 4/5
☆ Spiciness 2/5
☆ Gore 4/5 (The book opens with a rather graphic torture scene)

If this were a movie it'd be rated: PG-13 for torture scenes, frightening images, violence, blood, sexual innuendos, and crude language

☆FOR FANS OF: Adventure novels and the found family trope

Ultimate verdict: ☆☆☆☆/5

☆☆☆Best Character Award goes to:☆☆☆ I would do anything for Rose

Review:

This book has so much heart; Hillin's spent nearly two decades working on this book and even illustrated every single chapter header; each one is unique and relevant to something happening in that chapter. It's clearly a passion project and not a product. So many books I read were written to make money and chase the trends; this one radiates with love, care, and the desire to tell a story. Hillin so clearly loves this book.

Despite the protagonists being relatively young, this book goes to some pretty dark places at times and doesn't pull punches with gore and (best as I can tell) medically accurate depictions of injuries and treating said injuries, and they get injured a lot. Kayo and Rose have an interesting dynamic that I don't want to spoil too much. It hits a lot of the good adventure novel highlights from it's very wicked antagonist to the core story of trying to rally against oppression and brutality. The book ends just when the action is really starting to pick up, so I hope that we get a book 2 very soon.

Thank you very much to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this early copy in exchange for my honest review!

thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

unfortunately, this was a dnf for me at about 40%. while the synopsis was very compelling and the setting was well developed and interesting, this title reads like it was intended for a much younger audience. the writing came across somewhat choppy and awkward, and while this maintained a fast pace throughout the book, i personally found it difficult to read. it was also a dialogue-heavy book, and there was simply too much of it to allow the plot to progress in a meaningful way. much of this dialogue and the arguments between the characters--it seemed they were always arguing--were repetitive and i found myself reading very similar passages and scenes over and over.

readers who are looking for a book that reads fast, despite its length, and focuses on dialogue, with an interesting concept and setting might enjoy the orphan's king, especially if they are new to the genre. unfortunately, it was not for me.