by Alexandra Christo
Date Published: March 6, 2018; Feiwel & Friends
From Goodreads:
Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most—a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever.
The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby—it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good—But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy?
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
I've honestly never been a fan of Little Mermaid but I do LOVE retellings. (More like obsessed with it actually.) And dammit To Kill A Kingdom... Nailed. It.
I love every bit of this book's brurality and savagery. I have a newfound obsession for sirens and pirates and I'm not even sorry. This book was so good, I don't know what to say. I was so captivated by the majestic, magical and bloody world the author created. The writing was so incredibly engrossing I was dreading the ending. I was planning on re-reading this when I was about halfway through and you bet I'm gonna go do just that once it's officially released.
“You should assume,” she says, “that everything I say to you is an insult. One day the world is going to run out of luck to give to you.”
'Love and madness are two stars in the same sky.'
“You should assume,” she says, “that everything I say to you is an insult. One day the world is going to run out of luck to give to you.”
'Love and madness are two stars in the same sky.'
I have never met two people more swoonworthy than Lira and Elian. Their first meeting wasn't exactly screaming romance but their chemistry was palpable in every jab and "insult" they throw at each other. The romance was super slow burn and I. Loved. It. Honestly I didn't think my heart could take any more of Elian and Lira being perfect for each other.
“You’re right,” I tell him, trying to shake the melancholy from my voice. “Spending a lifetime with you would be a sacrifice.” “
Oh?” A glow returns to Elian’s eyes and he smiles as though the last few seconds didn’t happen. Erasing whatever parts of his past he doesn’t want to remember. “What would you be losing?” he asks.
“If I married you ?” I stand to tower above him, pushing away the unraveling thing inside me. “I suppose it would be my mind.”
“You’re right,” I tell him, trying to shake the melancholy from my voice. “Spending a lifetime with you would be a sacrifice.” “
Oh?” A glow returns to Elian’s eyes and he smiles as though the last few seconds didn’t happen. Erasing whatever parts of his past he doesn’t want to remember. “What would you be losing?” he asks.
“If I married you ?” I stand to tower above him, pushing away the unraveling thing inside me. “I suppose it would be my mind.”
I'm not actually a huge fan of standalones. And although To Kill A Kingdom had as perfect an ending as you can get for a book about ruthless sirens, killer pirates and a siren-killing wily prince, I wouldn't complain if the author decided she wanted to continue Elian and Lira's story. (I think Madrid and Kye too would have a very interesting and exciting story to tell. On second thought I think the whole crew of the Saad deserves stories of their own.)
“Are you jealous because I’m not flirting with you?” Madrid asks him , warming her finger on the trigger mechanism of her gun.
“I don’t need you to flirt with me,” he says. “I already know you find me irresistible.”
“Are you jealous because I’m not flirting with you?” Madrid asks him , warming her finger on the trigger mechanism of her gun.
“I don’t need you to flirt with me,” he says. “I already know you find me irresistible.”
I fell in love with this book from start to finish. Such an amazing debut! Must-read!
I received an e-arc via Netgalley to read and review. Quotes are subject to change in the final print.
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