Everything about To Kill a Kingdom was a salty swashbuckling GLORY and I loved it!
I’m alllll here for pirates and sirens and (dark) Little Mermaid retellings, and this definitely delivered. Plus it was super funny and if there’s something my dark little heart beats faster for: it’s people who sass each other to death so lovingly.
(Also I get to raise my hand with the smallest claim to fame that I used to be a beta-reader for Allie’s older works, back when she was a book blogger too! So I already knew I’d freaking love this and her writing is just a pure joy to read ahhh!)
✓ The characters just stole the seawater with their fantasticness.
It’s dual narrated by Elian and Lira. Elian is an anti-prince (like “here is a crown but I don’t want it) and Lira is a siren (like “here is a prince what if I ate him”). He’s hunting her and she’s hunting him, which is obviously the recipe for a perfect romance. And what a romance it was! Enemies-to-lovers at its finest! Not rushed or awkward and focused on character development instead of steamy scenes (which suited me just fine). I loved watching them grow from distrust to —> distant admiration. Then to “accidentally” “saving” each other’s lives. Of cooooourse, Lira. I BELIEVE YOU when you say you don’t care about Elian. #Such #Belief
I also loved them just as individual characters! Lira is a murderous siren and antiheroine, but also has a soft streak. She takes care of her little-murderous-cousin, but she also enjoys the thrill of killing princes. But she totally won my heart too, just by being so complex and compelling. And Elian?! He was the sass pirate of your HEART. I swear. That boy. He was smooth and sassy and absolutely allergic to the idea of being king. Bless him.
✓ The writing makes you truly fall in love with the sea too!
Which is ironic, given that the sea was super deadly but oh well. I love it. I love the descriptions! I could actually see the gorgeous settings, taste the salty sea, and absolutely lose myself in the world. There’s plenty of sailing too! Although the “pirate” title was a bit adorable, because they’re more roguish chivalrious do-gooders (by killing sirens to save people) instead of ACTUAL bloody pirates. But that’s okay, Elian, sweetie, you call yourself a pirate and I’ll support you.
✓ The world building gets a Very Much Yes™.
We go on an incredible adventure with Elian and Lira aboard their ship, the Saad. And it’s not dull for even a second. A+ pacing! And we see so many different places in this world! Kingdoms and mountains and palaces! It was incredibly well written. We skipped tedious info dumps and yet managed to have this complex, diverse world you could get lost in. Plus the settings were excitingly unique?! Kingdoms of frost and blue-lipped kings, and queendoms of love with cursed queens sitting on heart thrones. My opinion is YES.
✓ There’s sassy banter too!
This part I truly adored! I love characters who snark at each other. Elian has a sassy retort for anyone with oxygen, and Lira says “I’ll kill you” all the time and everyone thinks she’s joking. BUT YET: SHE’S NOT. I loved the secondary characters’ too! Madrid and Kye’s continual banter was fantastic in the background too!
+ Was it dark?
It was very bloody, although not gory, and there’s plenty of hearts being pulled out of chests and super creepy sea monsters. I really liked that it was on the dark side (I’M PLEASED…um and also normal?? I promise?? don’t be scared of me now) and gave us high stakes and terrible consequences for failure. The sea witch was SUPER CREEPY. Love it.
To Kill A Kingdom was full of sea and salt and ruination and I loved every page. It was perfectly written, with gorgeous prose that just leap off the page to DEVOUR YOU (yay the siren life). And what a fantastic combination of pirates and princes, sirens and curses, and a journey that will rip your heart out of your chest. Literally and figuratively.
Thank you Hot Key Books for the review-copy! To Kill A Kingdom by Alexandra Christo was published May 2018!
★★★★★
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?
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I still haven’t reviewed this on my blog yet and at this point, I really need to because I don’t like betraying publishers but HSAJDHGJSAGD CAN I BE BOTHERED? No. But I did adore the book! I think it was sassy and amazing and GOOD. I read Daughter of The Pirate King a month after reading this and I gave it 2 stars bc even tho these books were like 2 peas in a pod (lots of similarities) To Kill A Kingdom was so much better and more fleshed out?! Plus it didn’t have an annoying MC *COUGH COUGH* daughter of the pirate king.
Also, the romance in this is PAINFULLY slow, like pls kiss already. But it was cute. and I SHIPPED It. bc they’re on a ship, so like, #badpuns. I’m so sad it’s a standalone bc it’s so addicting and SUCH a good book? GAH
I’m only a little sad that you compared this to Seige and Strom bc I LOVED TO KILL A KINGDOM and 1-starred Siege and Storm SO PROBABLY JUST ME HAHA.
IT’S SUCH A GOOD BOOK I WANT TO SHOUT UNTIL EVERYONE READS IT.😂😂 And aww that sucks about Daughter of the Pirate King then. I still have that one to read, but maybe I should wait a while hhaha. And I just loooved the writing here, the characters! The plot! LIRA’S INTEREST IN EATING HEARTS. (Just kidding, ahem. Although I think I’d make a good siren, just saying.) Also I’m a fan of these suuuper slow-burn romances that are here for this year! Like this and Ace of Shades RUINED me.😂 I love it.
Dude! I love Siege and Storm! It’s one of my favourite Grisha books.😂
Maybe it’s because I read them so close together BUT THEY WERE SOOOOO SIMILAR. (you’d make an amazing siren i agree) I looooove slow-burn and I’m so glad more books have it!! (daughter of the pirate king was literal INSTA LOVE THO) and Elian and Lira are just AMAZING. And Enne and Levi are like obsessed with each other but honestly cannot admit it.
I loved Shadow and Bone but I found the second bOOK SO BORING. I still have ruin and rising yet to read so hopefully I’ll like that better?
Okay instalove really ticks me off, so I will keep expectations low for DOTPK.😂
Omg Enne and Levi though…they’re like 2 centimetres apart staring into the other’s eyes and both mentally going, “Nah this is nothing they dOn’T caRE ABOUT mE LIKE THAT.” *slaps them both and pushes them together*
this sounds so great! I love love love the ocean and there were these cool ingo books about the sea I read when I was younger. I’d love to read an dark oceanic retelling of the prince and the pauper? or maybe 12th night? idk I feel like all the ~popular~ fairytales are way overdone.
Ohh I’ve heard of the Ingo books! I kind of want to try them (although I might be too old?) but omg a dark oceanic retelling of the prince and the pauper has NEVER crossed my mind but…??? I instantly need it?? *whispers* write it for us, Shanti.
It sounds amazing! I already have it and it’s on my TBR to read this month, really hope I can get to it! If not this month then soon! Dark Little Mermaid Retellings, yes pleaseee <3
Ahhh I hope you get to it soon too! The month is still YOUNG, isn’t it?!😂
So I would say Alice in Wonderland but -looks at AG Howard- or something more obscure like the Princess and the Pea but -looks at AG Howard again-
I have figured out that if there is a fairytale I want to have a dark twist, all I have to do is wait for AG Howard to write it, lol. But in all honesty, Beauty and the Beast would be a cool one as would Mulan (no more Disney; give me a brutal story about war).
Omg I’m so excited for AG Howard’s new book!! Is it called Stained??? I think it is but I keep forgetting.😂 (I also LOVE her covers and how they all somewhat match afjkdslafd.)
I think it’s Stain? I dunno. I’m addicted to her stuff and will buy anything that she writes. xD
I remember reading that the covers weren’t supposed to all match like that but for whatever reason the RoseBlood cover that they chose was the best of all of the designed ones and they decided to stick with that theme to make it her “style.” I think it’s gorgeous. I found all of the cover art on Society6 as pillows and blankets. I need them.
SAME THOUGH. I loved the Splintered series so much, and I’m glad they stuck with the style for Roseblood because it’s so HER. 😍
Sold! I have been on the fence about picking up this book – mostly because I have a thing about pirates who tend to freak me out. Weird I know but very true. I have been freaking out about Mackenzi Lee’s new book too.
But this is one of a few very compelling reviews for To Kill a Kingdom, so I am off to my favourite bookshop.
AHHH YAY MY WORK HERE IS DONE. *flings confetti* 😂 (I’m so so excited for Mackenzie Lee’s next book, I can’t even flail enouuuuugh.)
I’m actually currently reading this! Yay so I can second most of these claims! 😃 I actually could’ve read it sooner because it was released in March in America but I was busy and now I’m busy but in the mood. This book right now actually kind of feels like Six of Crows meets Daughter of the Pirate King, which good because I love both those books
We need more Sleeping Beauty retelling because there aren’t many, and can we make them feminist because the main woman is asleep the hole time while the guy does all the work, like how about a retelling from the fairies perspective to show all their hard work wAIT I THINK I’M ON TO SOMETHING!!!!!!! THIS COULD ACTUALLY BE SOMETHING I WRITE!!!!
EXCELLENT. I tell no lies.😂 And I was absolutely dyyyying at the wait for May when it released here. I don’t understand why books can’t release at the same time world wide?! Save us the suffering people shhheesh.😂 I’ve also still got to meet Daughter of the Pirate King! I’m kind of ashamed I haven’t already tbh, I love pirates so much. Shame on me. hehe.
YES! WRITE A SLEEPING BEAUTY STORY LIKE THAT. (I’m writing a Sleeping Beauty retelling, genderbent, but modern which is a super shame to have no faeries.😂)
Oooooooh I’m totally reading this now!! It sounds a bit like Unhooked, which I just read and it was AMAZING!!!! So you’ve gotten me really excited to try this one out! And like, now I want to read ALL of the classic re-tellings!!! 😄😄 which is great for my heart but not my schedule!
I love the Little Mermaid, so having it retold so differently is really cool!! I’d love to see more Peter Pan re-tellings, and maybe a Merida one!! Which isn’t really a classic, but still. And Les Miserables!! I love that story. Rapunzel would be great!! Wow I want all of these 😂😂
Do I like Pirate stories?? ………. Yes, I do! They’re always fun and sassy and have the coolest settings and characters!
Thanks for reviewing To Kill a Kingdom, Cait!!! I need to go read it now. Or soon, anyway!
Oh oh I have Unhooked but STILL haven’t read it yet!! (I know…shame on me.😂) But like retellings are the best and I’m all here for some of the more obscure ones! Omg Merida would be awesome to see retold?! And Les Miserable! Not that I know the original too well, but I’d love to see a YA version haha.
I’m so glad I convinced you on this one. 😉
I loved this one, I’m so glad you did too! The sass was the best part and I loved how dark it was as well (I’m totally normal too *maniacal laugh*). Yay for swashbuckling!
We’re DEFINITELY normal, right?! 😂😂Nothing to worry about here. *whistles innocently while reading stabby books*
Just a heads up that your RSS is doing something odd. When I click a link to your site via RSS, the site shows up without any images or formatting (just links and text, but kind of scattered).
Yeah I knooow, I’m so sorry. 😭 I asked my relative (who designed the blog) to fix it but he hasn’t yet.😭😭I legit have no idea how to fix it on my own.
This is definitely on my TBR now! I will get it as soon as I can! (…which may be a while. I have a LOT of things on my TBR… 😂)
I understand ah ahhah.😂 The TBR is here to EAT US that’s for sure.
THIS BOOK. *flails* I JUST CAN’T. I actually haven’t read it bc I requested it at my library but for some reason they didn’t have it when I went?? Idk what happened but I was very salty. (HAHA look what I did. Sorry that was terrible. XD) But I am srsly SOOO excited to read this one EEP!!!
Also… You have officially inspired me to finally write a review on my blog. Idk why I’ve always felt hesitant to do one, but I guess I feel like I don’t “fit in” with the bookish community?? A lot of my current readers came from my former lifestyle blog, So a lot of my bookish post don’t really apply to them as much? Or they just haven’t read the books I’m talking about. Do you have any tips for getting into the bookish blogging community more?
Thx dear! Loved this review. It makes me so nostalgic for the beach HALPPP. xDD
P.S. Also I’m switching to a bigger bedroom which means A BIGGER BOOKSHELF (!!!) so do you have any bookshelf recommendations? Where did you get yours?
btw the space I have for a bookshelf is 6′ tall x 4′ wide.
I APPRECIATE THE SALT REFERENCE HERE.😂Can you ask your library to buy it?! My library (before I moved anyway lol lol sob) was super awesome at buying things I requested. 😉
And aww, I’m glad you’re going to write a review!! I totally think anyone can be ANY type of blogger they claim. No need to actually fit in at all tbh. 😉 I do like joining in the Top Ten Tuesday meme, that’s how I met a lot of bloggers. And also following bloggers on twitter etc, and reading/commenting. If that helps!
(I miss the beach too!)
(Oh and my bookshelf came from IKEA and I loooove it.)
Ahahaha good. My library has the book thankfully, so I’m not sure why it disappeared from my request list. *shrugs* Maybe I should get it in person. Either way it will be worth it I’m sure! 🙂
Aw thanks girl! Yes the TTT meme is fun and I’ve been wanting to do one of those. And I’m getting IG and Twitter soon so hopefully that will help!
(Yesss IKEA is the besttt.)
This books was such a fun read! I loved Lira and Elian and the SLOW BURN ROMANCE was EVERYTHING! Please, give us more. Also, I was so saaaadddd when it ended, because I wanted more Lira and Elian moments. but it was done? Not complaining about stand alone though, because they are rare treasures that MUST BE PROTECTED.
and the sass was so great. Like genuinely amazing banter.
Afjslfd I totally agree! I mean it was nice not to have instalove or a rushed romance or them declaring they are the ONLY ones for each other after 2 seconds together.😂This was slowburn at it’s finest ahh! But by the end I did want more shippy shipper moments. Omg they’re so adorable and stabby.
I want to like this one so much. I’m about halfway through, and kinda at a standstill. I never want to actually pick it up. 🙁 A lot of the little details are getting to me, like scenes with Lira having to scrub blood off her hands after killing someone even though she’s underwater. And her tears falling even though she’s underwater. I tend to be a super picky reader and can’t get over little details like that. But I’m hoping the second half picks up. I’m not giving up on it yet.
Aww no I’m sad to hear that! I didn’t notice the tear thing, but the blood-scrubbing-even-though-underwater makes sense?! I mean if my hands are messy but I put them underwater it doesn’t necessarily wash off unless you work at it…(NOT that my hands have ever been bloody like murder-style.😂I promise.)
Hmm. But I think it was after tearing out a heart while submerged in water. I’d think the blood would just float into the water (like Dory’s nosebleed in Finding Nemo) and not get caked onto her hands. But I know I’m too picky. XD Maybe I’m just not visualizing it the right way.
I ADORED To Kill a Kingdom so much! Lira and Elian just stole my heart (hehe) and I’m really excited for more short stories in this world!! Madrid and Kye were so great and I loved the friendship between Lira and Madrid too.
The banter deserves all the stars and I adore it so much. Elian is so great at snark ahaha. And I seriously loved Lira’s banter with basically everyone. She was so wonderfully dark and had the best remarks <3
Ps-exactly a month till ATPN and I’m beyond excited 🎉
Omg are we getting short stories for it?!? I didn’t know that! The day is infinitely better now.😍 Elian was adorably snarky omg and Lira was like “you think I’m being sarcastic bUT I REALLY WILL KILL YOU.”
(omg I’m so happy you’re excited for mine toooo!!)
Yup! I asked Alexandra Christo about it on goodreads and she said that she’s planning short stories, eeeek. Definitely looking forward to them!!
WE WILL BE UTTERLY BLESSED THIS IS GLORIOUS.
Sassy banter, Darkness, and the SEA? THIS SOUNDS LIKE THE BOOK I’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR ALL MY LIFE! As usual, THANKS CAIT!
IT IS. IT IS A PIRATICAL GIFT TO US ALL. 😍
okay I have been seeing this EVERYWHERE and now I have to read it–the darker it is the better (I’m normal too I swear)
YOU MUST! YOU MUST!! Seeing it everywhere decrees it’s good, right?!😂
This is the second review I’ve read for this book and I want it??? I didn’t really have a HUGE interest in it when I first heard about it, but that’s probably because it takes a lot for to have a huge interest in new releases nowadays. I have turned very cold and heard to please when it comes to books. What has happened to me? I think my terrifyingly huge TBR has made me into this person.
Anyway. I think I want to read this now. THANKS, CAIT. But I mean. It has a beautiful cover, it’s dark, it’s a retelling, and it has pirates. So in other words: I need it because I love all those things.
To be honest, I could do with dark retellings of everything in YA. BRING THEM ALL TO MEEEE
Cold and hard to please is honestly me too haha.😂I keep getting my highly-anticipated-books and not even diving into them straight away.😂BUT THIS DIDN’T DISAPPOINT SO I AM GLAD. (You’re welcome, btw, for my terrible influence on your TBR pile.)😂
Yes, this was the dark Little Mermaid re-telling of my dreams! And how cool that you beta read for her earlier books! On the one hand, I totally appreciate the standalone-ness of this book (please, for the love all desserts, publish more standalones folks!) but also I’m very grumpy that it’s all we get of Lira. I loved her from the moment she was stashing boys’, er…princes’ hearts in her bedroom floor because that is my #aesthetic. Plus the world-building was so fantastic even though we only saw a tiny handful of all the kingdoms. There were more than a few that got name-dropped that I would love to visit in another book. Great review Cait, I’m glad you loved this as much as I did!
AGREED AGREED. Like I sit here calling for more standalones, but half the time I just want more books after them.😂I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Lira!! And omg I loved how big the world was and it was such a small book?! Such quality storytelling, I’m in loooove.
Wonderful review, Cait! I LOVED this book so, so much as well – I’m not a fan of dark books and I have to admit that this one had its moments of, well, darkness and hearts ripped out of chests and everything and… I’m kind of a marshmallow, but still, I LOVED this one so, so much. The world was brilliant, the characters were amazing and the banter, everything I love! I’m so happy you loved it just as much 😀 x
Ahhh I’m so glad you enjoyed it too! It was kind of bloody though, right?!😂I definitely am here for the dark side, but it was well balanced with the fluffy moments and the banter!!
There’s so much good books coming out with pirates and/or mermaid in them this year that it’s literally the best. This one is certainly going on my TBR now.
Let’s have a dark version of… I kind of want to see more of the ones we don’t see that often, like Rumplestitskin or Water and Salt.
It’s true, right?! It’s like on the RISE and I am so here for this trend.😂
And ooh yes I’d love to see a dark version of Rumplestiltskin…or just ANY version! I don’t think I’ve read it yet as a YA retelling!?
Aahhhh I’m so glad you like this one! ✨
I got an ARC through Netgalley when not a lot of people were talking about it and I loved it so so much but like!? no one was talking about it!? #STRUGGLES. But anyway, it’s such a great book that I’ve actually gone out and bought a copy after it came out (which I never do!) because I love it so much! It’s the perfect kind of dark for me and the hate-to-love relationship is my faaaaavourite! 😍
I enjoyed reading your review so much, Cait, thank you! 💕
I’m sooo glad everyone’s talking about it now! I feel like I see it everywhere AND RIGHTLY SO IT’S SO GOOD. (Thanks so much for reading my review ahh!!)
Yesss I read this book recently as well and I adored the Sass and the banter! LOL about what you said about Elias, totally a pretend pirate that one. How great was Lira as an anti-hero character? Lovely review Cait!
SUCH a pretend pirate.😂I mean I don’t think he did anything piratey except loved the aesthetic. lol lol But I still adored him! And Lira was antiheroine done RIGHT OMG I LOVE HER.
Why… wasn’t this book already on my “Want to Read” list? The cover has TENTACLES. That should be ALL I NEED TO KNOW.
IT CALLS TO YOU!! IT WANTS YOUR LOVE!! 😂
Oohhhh good characters and sass??? I’M DOWN. (it doesn’t take much to make me happy, hahahaha) My TBR keeps growing and I don’t know why?????
YOUR TBR IS WELCOME. I’m here to be a terrible influence. 😂
YES, it’s in my TBR, and YES, I love pirate stories (in fact, all of my books include at least one character who’s a pirate), and YES… I mean, I’d love to see a dark-wow-this-is-creepy Wonderland and a dark story about Rapunzel… That’d be so cool… Anywho. I freaking love the idea of sassy characters and an enemies-to-lovers romance is my jam. And yayy #antiheroine #killthemall yeah, we’re all very normal human beings over here
EXCELLENT. I already am in full appreciation of your pirating books. 😀 Basically this book is all totally perfect in every way. :’)
I liked this one too, aside from two things. One was the end… like, what happened was really convinient. Those changes of hearts… na, I wasn’t fully convinced. But also the world. I wanted to explore more! There were so many lands and interesting concepts.
Honestly, I would love to read a series by the author * send whising signal to Christo 😂* Or even some standalones but set in the various island. I’m read to throw away all my money.
It was so much fun, right?! TOTAL fan haha, and I want to read everything she writes after this!!