Thank you to the lovely publisher Hot Key Books for the review copy. This book was so good that as soon as I finished reading it I ordered a hardback for my collection. I could read it all over again less than 24 hours later as it was a perfect standalone. Loosely inspired by The Little Mermaid, the story begins with the ruthless Princess Lira, a siren and daughter of the Sea Witch. Known as the Princes' Bane, Lira must quickly learn to adapt when she's transformed into a human as punishment. Lira's character has been formed by the cruelty of her mother in a society where murder is mandatory and humanity is seen as a disease to be eradicated. I loved how Lira became physically weaker and had to learn a new kind of moral and emotional strength in order to survive.

Alternating with Lira's point of view is that of Elian, a human prince and siren hunter who has vowed to kill the Princes' Bane. The similarities between Lira and Elian lead to a growing connection as each is intrigued and captivated by the other but any chance of a happy ending seems impossible. I loved how most of the action was set on the Saad, Elian's ship. His loyal crew share a deep bond and I particularly liked Elian's friendship with Kye, Madrid and Torik. Madrid was one of my favourite characters with a backstory I'd be eager to read more about one day. The moments of humour between Elian and his crew, and Lira and Elian really made me fall in love with all of these characters. 

The world-building was amazing, especially for a standalone. It reached a level of complexity that seemed impossible for such a short book. I can imagine it's a world that the author could easily revisit in future books as each kingdom differed so completely. The engaging writing style and evocative language ensure the reader falls under the story's spell. I couldn't put the book down as it seemed like any sort of resolution was impossible. Yet as I finished it, I was completely satisfied with the ending and honestly could have gone back to the first page to read it again. To Kill a Kingdom is definitely one of the best YA fantasy I've ever read and a new favourite.

Thank you Netgalley for the Arc.

I REALLY enjoyed this book, think Little Mermaid with less Disneyfication (I am trademarking that word 😜).

I thought that the characters were well developed and their motives throughout were clear and made sense. I also love that the love story was not a fall in love in a minute affair because that’s a pet peeve of mine.

I loved the world that Alexandra Christo created and I would actually not mind a spin off that explores the other worlds more.

I thought that the banter between the characters was great and very like true life friends would be, especially my friends if I could get them all on a boat together!

Overall, I would recommend this to others, it was an enjoyable read that I can see me re-reading again and again.

I can't tell you how much I loved this book. It exceeded my expectations and more! Definitely a book I can read over and over again.

First off, the characters are fantastic. Elian is everything you want in a dashing (pirate) Prince charming, a bit rough around the edges, full of wit and sark. Love it. Lira is ruthless and has a right to be so, I love her attitude, her girth, her banter. Kye and Madrid are so cool I can't deal. Every. Single. Character. They are just all so vivid and stand out completely. ASDFGHJKL.

Pirates, Princes, sirens, mer-people, sea Queen's, kingdoms. What the heck more can you ask for? The characters are everything, the plot is everything, the world-building is everything. And to do this all successfully in a standalone novel. Just yes. Everything is right.

Following two first person perspectives as well between both the male and female protagonists really gives you a good scope, and not everyone can do that well. I've read books that have done that and the voices blend into one another but both Elian and Lira have their differing voices that don't clash at all.

Annnnd the romance is not insta-love! Can I get a yay? Because yay. It's slow burn and done so well and it's just so real and true and magnetic. And no love triangle either. Double yay!

I have to say that I got The Little Mermaid feels from this, and it's one of my fave Disney movies ever. Of course it's got tiny themes but it's a story in an entirety of its own. It's brutal, dark and just so great.

I'm just throwing a whole bunch of love for this out there and for the author who is one to watch out for! (And shares my love for K-drama) *crying* What a brilliant debut.

THIS BOOK IS AMAZING. The characters, the world-building, the magic. I was on edge the whole way through, completely gripped.
Lira is a very complex character. By rights, we should hate her. She’s feared across the land as the Princes’ Bane, the siren who lures princes to their deaths for their hearts. It’s only fitting for a princess of the sea to have the best hearts, after all. She is dismissive, proud and totally sure that she is better than everyone else. One day she will be queen and she doesn’t forget it.
Lira is a great MC and she grows as a character while retaining who she is. She might learn that her mother’s way is wrong and take steps to change how sirens live in the world but she still retains her fire and sarcasm. She’s cunning and clever and ultimately a princess and she uses all these things to get what she wants. And I actually love her relationship with Elian, how they slowly come to trust and care for each other. These kind of tumultuous relationships aren’t easy to write and sometimes they don’t end up convincing at all.
Lira and Elian’s relationship is complicated and neither is really sure how much they can trust the other. It doesn’t help that they keep secrets from one another about who they are and their agendas. But this one works well and is very believable. It’s very strange for Lira to experience the feeling of family and camaraderie that Elian’s crew has. They all adore their captain and loyalty is a strange thing to Lira when sirens are only supposed to be out for themselves. But it slowly chips away at her walls as they go on a quest to end the sirens’ control of the oceans forever.
The final battle was incredible. It was vivid and graphic and you are right there with Lira through it all. She earns her happy ending and as sad as I was to finish this book, it's perfect as a standalone. Perfectly paced throughout, it's a wonderful compact story as it is. I definitely look forward to whatever the author writes next as she clearly has a wonderful imagination and a gripping writing style.

I really enjoyed To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo. I was so looking forward to this.
One of My daughters favourite Disney movies growing up was the little mermaid and although this was about vicious Sirens and not cute princess like mermaids I was clapping my hands together in glee so excited to start this.
Stealing a prince's heart has a whole new meaning when it is literally ripped out of your chest.
This book is a vicious tale of Killer Sirens, An evil sea witch of a mother, and a whole ship of sirens hunters led by a royal prince, Prince Elian who has made it his mission in life to rid the seas of these killers and in particular the Prince's Bane, None other than Princess Lira herself along with her sea witch of a mother.
So after Princess Lira is punished by being made mortal and sent into the mortal world with the task of bringing her mother the Prince's heart by her birthday it's a whole new world with new experiences and emotions she finds herself feeling.
And after Prince Elian saves a strange girl in the ocean from drowning and brings her aboard his ship this Prince and Siren's journey are ready to collide for an altogether better future for all.
So, this is aimed at the YA community in general and as I said earlier is a completely engrossing read.
And although a romance between Lira and Elian is anticipated the story here is more action based than romance based and is also completely clean in nature.
But be aware this is definitely not a sweet Disney story, There is actually a fair bit of violence involved here.
To "Kill A Kingdom" actually reminded me a whole lot of an Old Sinbad movie in as much as there on a quest they need to fulfil and that there are beasts beneath the ocean that are common knowledge to all, as is the magic that rebounds in this world.
I adored all the magical kingdom lore we got to experience here.
There were no great plot twists, but they weren't really needed.
There was plenty of imagination and visual pictures portrayed by this author that I found this didn't need any fancy twists at all.
Also, I would like to say I loved the cover image for this story it was so beautiful I'd have picked this up for that reason alone.
so, Yeh, this is a thumbs up from me, a great new imaginative YA novel which gives a whole new twist to an old favourite.
I was provided with an ARC of "To Kill A Kingdom" By Netgalley of which I have reviewed voluntary.
All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

My Rating

A darkly delicous story of a Siren with a taste for royal hearts and the Prince who will take hers.

My Thoughts

Oh my goodness guys, I f#cking love this book! When I spotted it on Netgalley I was like, hmm dark mermaid story? YES PLEASE! I think I have an unhealthy obsession with mermaids, but they’re just so cool!

When I was first introduced to Lira, I immediately loved her. She is so wicked and completely alluring, and aside from the whole ripping out hearts – which I’m all for by the way – she is one fierce woman. The actions she took were never sugar-coated and that made the story even darker and delicious.

Elian is not your typical prince. He doesn’t even see himself as one, but instead a pirate and a captain. His crew are his family and he’s loyal to every one of them. His disdain for Sirens is potent, just as Lira’s for humans. His mission is to take out the merciless Sea Queen and her species along with her.

The Sea Queen is best described as a complete b#tch. She doesn’t believe in mercy or love and strikes fear into the hearts of all she commands. She has no quarrel’s with taking a life from one of her own, even when it comes to her daughter. You wouldn’t want to cross her basically.

Lira and Elian clash immediately and trust is evidently not forthcoming. I enjoyed the rapport between one and other and the slow growth of their relationship. You will find no inst-love here.

Lira grew immensely throughout the book and realised a few things about herself and the world around her. She’s definitely one of my all time favourite characters!

While the story is a nod towards The Little Mermaid, it’s not obvious and not an outright retelling at all. It’s so much more. I was captivated from the word go and fell into the world. The story literally lifted from the pages and lured me down into its murky depths. It’s a dark and twisted story and I devoured every minute of it.

To Kill A Kingdom is due to release 6th March 2018.

Sarah xo

This book was my most anticipated novel of 2018, and I was so lucky to receive an ARC.

From the characters to the description, this book was absolutely amazing. It was dark and utterly beautiful, that I couldn't put it down! I will definitely be purchasing a copy for myself since I want to re-read this and relive the magical and dark re-telling of A Little Mermaid!

I highly recommend for anyone and everyone to pick this up!

Thank you Netgalley for the Arc.

Okay so I absolutely loved this book. I generally like to see anything that is not about Vampire and Werewolves (don't get me wrong I love a good werewolf and vampire novel) but reading about Sirens was so refreshing.

The fact that romance was not the cause of anything and instead was more of a secondary or third plot line was also so refreshing.

I thought the characters were amazing and so intense and complicated that they were perfect for the setting of the novel. (also badass female pirate? so down for that!)

The plot was so well written - I can often find myself getting confused when dual perspectives are used but I found that I enjoyed going between the two characters and seeing the world from both the siren point of view and the human. I also enjoyed being able to see how their plans coincided.

Having what would be classed as a Villan as the main protagonist was fun - the level of sarcasm was easy to relate too.

I would highly recommend this book to any Fantasy lovers or anyone looking for a new and refreshing read

Thank you to NetGalley and Hot Key Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the premise and the setup of To Kill A Kingdom. It's always exciting to see YA characters that are morally ambiguous, and the book had a very strong and intriguing start. Lira and Elain both felt relatable, whole characters, especially when battling with concepts of nature vs. nurture and familial expectations. I also loved the crew of the Saad and their relationship with their captain. It meant that at times it had an ensemble cast feel, but you never quite got to know them enough for this to be fully realised. The description and the creation of the world under the ocean also felt very well written and developed, and I loved the distinction between mermaids and sirens and the originality of the concept, especially as I don't see a lot of YA novels about mermaids or sirens.

However, I started to lose interest about halfway through the book. After a while, it was obvious where the plot was going and I already predicted the romance element. While it was very slow burn and not really that prevalent, I could feel it building throughout the novel. At first I enjoyed Lira and Elian's banter and snarky relationship but after a while it felt predictable and they both seemed to lose something of their character. I love books about morally grey or dubious characters developing themselves, but far too often they fall into the trap of 'romance cures all'. While this may be some people's cup of tea, I'm a little tired of it now and I would have loved more focus on the importance of friendships, especially with such a great crew of side characters. Additionally, the plot was very complex but I felt like it lagged a little in the middle and a lot seemed to happen in the last 20% of the book.

Overall, I enjoyed To Kill A Kingdom's premise and tone, and I think Lira and Elian's characters were refreshingly original and the world-building a vivid and really unique blend of myths and folklore. I loved the darker tone and how it highlighted the affect of nature vs nurture and societal pressure, and also that it was a standalone. However, the predictable romance really dragged the book down for me, and also felt a little too forced to be believable. I would really like a spinoff book involving the crew of the Saad though (especially Madrid and Kye).

Such an action packed book full of pirates, princes, sirens and mermaids, what else could you want?
It had me on my toes from page to page, and made me want to jump in the pages myself. I do always love a twisted tale, and this is something I'd describe as a darker, twisted version of the Little Mermaid - so if you're a fan of that this is a book for you.
Definitely an amazing book, and one I'll be recommending.

Plot
In To Kill A Kingdom by Alexandra Christo we follow the perspective of both Lira and Elian. Lira is the daughter of the Sea Queen, heir to her mother's throne and known to be a ruthless siren who kills and takes the hearts of princes for her birthday each year. Elian is a prince and heir to the Midasian throne who much prefers to spend his time with his crew on his ship the Saad which they take across the different seas to hunt and kill sirens. 

Lira and Elian's path cross when Elian saves Lira from drowning after her mother turns her into a human as a punishment with the mission to collect a prince's heart without her siren song. We then follow Lira and Elian on different missions across the seas and as they get to know each other.

Unfortunately, the plot felt very predictable because it was so similar to The Little Mermaid (just exchange mermaids for sirens as the main characters) and even though it's been years since I watched the movie I could still predict exactly what was going to happen which sucked. A lot.

Characters
I really enjoyed getting to know both Lira and Elian and experiencing how they saw the world around them and their roles within their respective kingdoms.

Elian was definitely someone I liked quickly which was probably related to him not wanting to fulfill a role that he was born into and instead wanted to be known and recognized for the things he accomplished himself - which is something I always admire in a character! It was also nice seeing Elian through the eyes of Madrid and Kye - two of his closest friends and crew members.

Lira has earned herself quite the reputation as the Prince's Bane over the years but we also get to know her beyond that image through her relationship with Kahlia. Throughout the entire book, Lira is definitely a woman on a mission and I liked the way she went about it.

It's unfortunate that we only got to know the other characters on a very basic level - I would have really liked to learn more about Madrid in particular as the details we got about her past before joining Elian's crew would have definitely made for an interesting story in my opinion!

The lack of getting to know the immediate side characters definitely influenced my overall enjoyment of this book as we basically just got a few bullet points on any character that wasn't Lira or Elian. Also, as a sidenote: the number of times I read Elian's name as Elain was kind of ridiculous but also funny.

Writing & Pacing
The writing in To Kill A Kingdom was easy to follow and quick to read which I always really enjoy. The only thing that would often turn me away from reading more was the rather long chapters as I would worry about getting too tired to remember what I was reading and no one has the time to go back and reread an entire chapter, am I right?

I did really enjoy the pacing of the story though as the author never seemed to spend unnecessary time explaining details the reader could easily do without (like always describing travels and how the characters got from point A to B exactly).

To Kill A Kingdom also featured a story that was a good mixture of action and character development without feeling like either overpowered or hindered the other.

Enjoyment
Overall, I did enjoy this book but I don't see myself going back to it anytime soon since the story was pretty predictable which would make a reread a lot less fun, in my opinion. This is probably the kind of book I would lend from the library rather than get a copy myself for the reasons I just mentioned, but I would still recommend you give this book a chance and read it! And if you're unsure if you're going to love it or not, you could always get it from the library or request it from your library if they don't have it at the moment - you're still showing your support for the author that way!

ARC kindly supplied by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lira is a siren, born to the lethal, ruthless Sea Queen, and destined to take her place when she comes of age. To prove her worth, she must be just as vicious, stealing the hearts of human princes under the guise of the Prince’s Bane. With the hearts of seventeen in her collection, she is both feared and revered in every corner of the world. At least, until she sets her sights on her next target: Prince Elian, heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. But after Lira kills a mermaid trying to steal her prize, the Sea Queen punishes her in the most brutal way she can think of– by turning Lira into a weak, defenceless human. Lira has only one option open to her– steal Prince Elian’s heart or remain a human forever.

Prince Elian is not entirely comfortable in his role of heir. He’d rather be on his pirate ship, the Saad, hunting down the vicious sirens who kill his people. When he rescues a girl floating in the middle of the sea, with no wreckage around her, and no sign of a ship, he can’t help but wonder at her origins. She offers to help him track down an ancient key which will destroy the sirens and the Sea Queen for good, but he begins to think he might be out of hid depth. Everything comes at a cost, even trust, and saving his kingdom might turn out to cost even more than a prince can pay.

Mermaids and sea tales are fast becoming a YA trend. There are several books coming out this year with a focus on the ocean, including Daughter of the Siren Queen, The Wicked Deep and Sea Witch. To Kill a Kingdom is not only riding that wave [pardon the pun] but wonderfully surfing it.

“Could it really be such a bad thing, to become a story whispered to children in the dead of night? A song they sing to one another while they play?”

It’s not often that a book hooks you from the first few pages, but that’s what happened this time around. I was nestled into my cosy reading spot with a bit of chocolate and a cup of coffee and then all of a sudden I was being hauled along by the first few chapters, so intrigued that the coffee went cold and the chocolate sat forgotten for a little while longer. There’s a special kind of magic to Christo’s writing, a sort of lyricism that doesn’t sound too different to that entrancing melody the sirens are equipped with. The presence of fairy tales is never too far away, and perhaps that’s what kept me turning pages so rapidly; although it isn’t The Little Mermaid retold [and if that’s what you’re looking for, this book will not be your cup of tea] there are elements of that story woven into the depiction of the characters and the world. Lira, the supposedly ruthless siren known as the Prince’s Bane, is the daughter of royalty, and her beautiful red hair is whispered about in taverns the world over. There are also clear resemblances between the Sea Queen and Ursula, with her tentacles and manipulation. But really, this isn’t a retelling. Which is quite refreshing, since as much as I love them, I think we have quite enough of those to be getting along with for now.

What is To Kill a Kingdom then, you might ask? Magic, as I’ve already said, and a relentless pace that will keep you awake at night with that reader’s curse known as just-one-more-chapter. The world building is gorgeous and intricate, with mountains and seas and pirate ships and underwater cities. Very rarely, did I forget where I was geographically in the novel, since the descriptions of each scene were so well woven into each chapter and page. Plot-wise too, it was a winner, with the characters hurtling from desperate situation to desperate situation, sometimes pausing long enough to joke, or to wonder who is going to try and kill them next. And that was really the clincher for me, although I put it down in the sad face of performing adult duties such as cooking and doing work, I was very reluctant to leave it, bringing it with me into the kitchen while my boyfriend made dinner and mumbling replies as I devoured the story. It felt consistent, and although the pace was really quite reckless, I never felt as though there was a lull in my anticipation. Perhaps the only negative I could say about the plot [if we were going to be nit-picky] was that I preferred the dramatic tension surrounding Lira being a siren in human form on the pirate ship of a prince who wanted her dead, much more interesting than the actual plot of them going to try and find the ultimate weapon against the sirens. I know the two go hand in hand, but I just felt like it was a book that was more character-driven than plot driven.

“The Prince of Midas wears the clothes of royalty in a way that seems neglectful. His shirtsleeves are rolled up to the elbows and the buttons of his collar are undone so the wind can reach his heart. He doesn’t look much older than I do, yet his eyes are hard and weathered. They’re eyes of lost innocence, greener than seaweed and constantly searching. Even the empty ocean is prey to him, and he regards it with a mix of suspicion and wonder.”

Yes, it’s the characters who really stand out here for me, and they leap out from the page in such intricate and startling detail. Both of the protagonists, who switch POV throughout the novel, are incredibly three dimensional, with so many habits and quirks and feelings that you really just want to wrap them up in a warm blanket and hug them. Or y’know, sometimes you also want to kill them. I haven’t actually made up my mind yet, but I think it says a lot that Christo has made them so lifelike that I’m this conflicted. I haven’t felt this invested in characters since I read Six of Crows and The Raven Cycle, so awesome were the inner-workings of Lira and Elian. Elian is interesting because he seems to be the typical knight-in-shining-armour prince. Though he clearly feels uncomfortable at the thought of inheriting the crown, since it means giving up his wonderful pirate life, he meets the inevitable duties with honour and dignity, proving himself loyal to his country and his people before anything else. He’s also the kind that rescues random stray girls from the middle of the sea and then throws them in a cell belowdecks until he feels he can trust them. Clearly, he’s not the idiotic Disney Prince type that crops up every now and again, for which I can only applaud. Instead, he’s equal parts charming and roguish, witty and reckless. He’s similar to almost a dozen YA heroes I can name off the top of my head, and yet he’s just different enough to pass as interesting. He’s got his own hopes and dreams, and I loved seeing him interact with both Lira and his loyal pirate crew, who spend all their time being sarcastic and drinking rum, in typical pirate fashion. You’ve really got to love it.

And then there’s Lira. She’s another amazingly detailed character, with the potential to come across as hugely unsympathetic and yet she’s definitely relate-able. Kudos to Christo for being able to walk such a narrow line and give readers a kick-ass female protagonist who is sure to win people over with her merciless humour and ever-churning thoughts. I suspected all along where her loyalty was going to eventually lie, and I wasn’t disappointed, but I thought it was great to see that development along the way. Lira initially comes across as something of a monster, ripping out the hearts of princes to appease her mother, but very early on we see a glimpse of a more tender side to her, as she struggles to protect her cousin from the Sea Queen’s wrath. That strange mix of wonder, hope and ruthlessness is transferred to her human form too, with Lira trying to decide if she should follow her mother’s wishes and kill Elian, or if she should explore the possibilities of life as part of the Saad’s crew. She’s described in wonderful detail, and I had a very strong image of her throughout To Kill a Kingdom, as some wild, untamed creature, with a constant smirk and eyes the same colour as the ocean she hails from. Christo paints quite a picture, and stroke by stroke, she’s created a minor masterpiece I’ll be delighted to return to. For those who aren’t too keen on sequels, fear not with this book. The ending could potentially lead to a second novel, but it wraps up in a way that is satisfying even as a standalone.

All in all, I’m happy to award To Kill a Kingdom a rare 10/10.

This was a struggle for me.
I just couldn't keep interested in the story.
The world felt so big but didn't develop enough for me.
But I am going to give it another go at some point hoping it was just my mood.

I have to be honest here, my expectations for To Kill A Kingdom weren't very high. It wasn't like I was expecting it to be bad, but I read Siren by Kiera Cass about 1,5 years ago and, unfortunately, it was quite a bit of a disappointment. I don't usually like to compare books, but it sort of just happened, I guess. I was so excited, though, when I realised how amazing this book actually was. I was a little weary at first, knowing it could go downhill any moment, but it didn't! It started strong and I really think it finished even stronger. It's a story of sirens, royals, pirates and it's full of deception, betrayal, schemes and so much more. It was dark and even a bit twisted at times and I absolutely loved it.

To Kill A Kingdom has a very interesting cast of characters. There's Lira; who's siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. She's turned into a human against her will and - obviously - she hates it. I loved her development throughout the story. She's really her mother's daughter at first, but that all changes towards the end and I just loved her entire journey. Then there's Elian, crown prince and siren-killing pirate. He's realistic and a bit sarcastic and, above all, adventurous. He doesn't actually want to inherit the throne, but does all he can to save his people anyway and I really admire that about him. The crew of his ship is one to give the Inner Circle from the ACOTAR series a run for their money, if I'm honest (and you all know how much I love that series!) And since it's a reimagining of The Little Mermaid, obviously there's a romance. It's so slow burn that you barely even notice it until something finally happens and it's easily one of the best things about this book.

I loved the mythology of the sirens, mermaids and mermen. Siren's aren't just gorgeous woman luring humans to their deaths. They look more like fish with their fins and gills, I hadn't excepted that at all! Also, they have their rituals and they steal hearts and it's so dark! Mermaids definitely aren't creatures out of a Disney movie. They're probably even more wicked than the sirens! The merman were the most interesting part of the mythology, since they're more like a mixture of predatory fish than anything else. They're dangerous creatures! I loved how much care went into describing the mythology of the sea creatures and their rituals, it was easy to understand while never being too plain or simple.

The world building in To Kill A Kingdom was phenomenal. There's this entire hidden sea where with the kingdom of Keto, home of the sirens is. I felt like we didn't see all that much of it but it made sense as the story is never really set there. Also, the rest of the settings of the book made it entirely unimportant. Elian lives in a kingdom I felt was similar to Egypt. They're on a journey to the highest, coldest point on earth and they stop in all kinds of incredible places in the meantime. All the while, they speak of the hundred other kingdoms in their world, including a technologically advanced one! Being the tech geek that I am, that one would probably be my favourite.

To Kill A Kingdom is quite a quick and action-packed read, but the pacing was perfect. It was never boring but it also never went so fast you missed important details. The plot is always interesting and above all, it makes sense! It wasn't predictable to me, either. To be honest, I was always so caught up in the story I didn't even think about what would happen later on.

To Kill A Kingdom will probably end up on the list of all time favourite books. It's a perfect book to sit down with on a day and just read for start to finish. It has a strong start, but an even stronger finish. The wonderful characters, the interesting mythology, phenomenal world building and the action-packed plot make To Kill A Kingdom an amazing read I'd recommend to everyone who's into The Little Mermaid and sirens.

This book is a darker re-telling of the Little Mermaid and it had lots to offer. To Kill a Kingdom has all the elements of a really good dark fantasy, there's mermaids and pirates, siren's ripping out hearts, a Sea Queen reminiscent of Ursula and a hate to love romance. The story was nicely paced and I think it does an excellent job of taking The Little Mermaid and making it darker and grittier than the film we all know and love.

This book held such promise for me but in the end it didn't quite deliver. For me this book was a little too perfect, every twist and turn wasn't a surprise, I felt like I was on a road I had travelled before. I didn't really have any doubt in my mind at where this book was going or how it would end. Everything ended up being a bit too convenient, I could see what the author wanted to achieve, so all the character growth needed to get there felt a bit forced.

In the end Lira and Elian didn't learn to look past their differences, they were moulded into being the same. I say this particularly for Lira who starts out as this blood-thirsty Siren, but this initial characterisation is proclaimed as false as you get further into the book and it ends up that Lira didn't want to be that way she felt forced by her mother. For me good characterisation would be if they had both learnt to change, not the reader learning that they aren't the way initially presented. It was all just a little too neat but this might be because it was a standalone.  

There was a few plot issues, namely Lira's familiarity with all things human despite being from the sea, she recognised things like the smell of peppermint and honey. Are these common in the ocean? I also had issues with the ending, who goes through the trouble of hiding something as far away from the ocean as you can but then decides to built a moat around/through it? Wasn't the whole point to be that it was away from water?

This book is by no means boring and for a ya dark fantasy it's pretty decent. There were just several issues for me that stopped me completely enjoying the book, I didn't find the banter that witty and there was a lot of it and I felt like the plot was often advanced by people overlooking the glaringly obvious. I know lots of people are going to love this book but I ended up being one of those who only liked it.

As a child, "The Little Mermaid" was my favourite film. And yes, I still know all the words to the songs and sneakily sing along when my 8-year old stepdaughter is watching it (at my insistence). I’m sure I’m not the only one.

This book is nothing like that film. It is no fairy tale. What it is, is a dark, brutal and starkly honest version of a similar story. Perhaps this is why I loved it so much, but I think it goes beyond that as the book was very well written and the characters were so well developed I could picture them clearly.

The plot follows the stories of Elian and Lira. Elian is a prince of the Kingdom of Midas. However, he is happier being the Captain of his ship than living the boring life of a royal. He is also famed as a siren killer. Lira is a siren, and daughter of the Sea Queen. Every year, on her birthday, she takes the heart of a prince, and has earner a fearsome reputation as the ruthless Prince’s Bane. They are each aware of the legend surrounding the other, and the story tells of what happens when the two collide.

The book is divided into chapters told from the points of view of Elian and Lira. Both characters are very well written, and they each have their own deep history and emotional baggage. Honestly, I could not decide whose side I was on because I liked both characters so much. I think this was the author’s intention as it helps to build the tension throughout the book. I could never take sides with either one of them - somehow I wanted them both to win. Sadly this seemed impossible and so I was constantly on edge and biting my nails to see who would come out of the other side of this epic battle of wills and worlds.

The plot and world created by the author was very well written. It was easy to imagine the different kingdoms, people and situations encountered within the pages of the book.

I was completely taken in by this book and its two main characters, Elian and Lira. So much so that I finished most of it in one day - I just did not want to put it down. I honestly can’t think of a single criticism. I even loved the cover.

I would highly recommend this to fantasy fans and anyone who feels a little disillusioned with the classic love story, but is still a little princess at heart.

A clever, powerful, retelling of a popular story.

It seems 2018 is set to be the year of the mermaid in fiction, with an abundance of new stories and retellings being published. But Alexandra Christo has nothing to worry about in this fierce, inventive, updated version of The Little Mermaid.

In her world, the mermaids are creepy, fishy creatures, who like nothing more than to thwart sirens - and it's the sirens who embody the beautiful part fish, part women of legend. But the only time the sirens want to be where the people are is when they have chance to rip out their still-beating hearts. A murderous war has raged between the folk of the sea, and the land-dwellers ever since the land-dwellers killed the sirens' goddess, Keto. The Sea Queen - tentacled, monstrous and menacing, - wants them to pay in blood. And her daughter, Lira, known as Prince's Bane for her penchant of collecting the very literal hearts of princes, supports this goal completely.

Until her mother forces her to do two things that make her afraid for herself and her people. Her mother, sensing her burgeoning disobedience, curses her into human form, with only one way back to her old form: Kill the Midasian prince. Unfortunately for Lira, he's grown tired of her slaughtering his royal friends, and wants to kill her right back.

The story takes all the best bits of the original tale: the terrifying sea queen, the curse, the handsome prince, but twists them in the fiercest, funnest way. Instead of being a lovelorn mute, Lira is an irrepressible character; mouthy, obnoxious, cunning, and yet endearing despite it. Prince Elian is everything a prince should be, with an added sprinkling of vagabond pirate, and the supporting characters are fleshed out enough to be satisfying, though none shine as brightly as the two leads. The world is vast, and deftly used, and the pace moves like the waves, from quiet, intimate lull, to dramatic crest. Alexandra Christo has created something truly unique in this tale, and I enjoyed it immensely.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

<i>‘Technically I’m a murderer, but I like to think that’s one of my better qualities…’</i>

 

 

<i>‘Truthfully, the idea of this not ending in death never crossed my mind. Of all the outcomes and possibilities I considered, peace wasn’t one.’</i>

 

 

<i>To Kill a Kingdom</i>  has been a sleeper success for me. I’d heard good things about the book but not really dug into it too much, partly to avoid spoilers but also because I’m just not a mermaid enthusiast. That said the little I did allow myself to hear had me really eager to read the book and it didn’t disappoint. In fact it would be fair to say it blew my expectations out of the water – no pun intended.

 

Lira is a siren, heir to the underwater kingdom in the Diavolos Sea and daughter of the Sea Queen who is a ruthless and cruel megolamaniac. She has learned from her earliest  memories how to be a killer of men, more specifically a killer of princes.

 

Elian is a prince, reluctant heir to the golden kingdom of Midas. But the sea and adventure calls to him and he spends most of his time on his ship with his crew of misfits living like a pirate, and hunting sirens.

 

The pair come into direct conflict as they both struggle to preserve their own kingdoms.

 

This has to be one of the best set ups I’ve seen in YA for a long time. Instead of ‘nice’ MCs we are presented with two antiheroes on a direct collision course with each other. There has been some whinging about insta-love but I really don’t see how much less like insta-love this could be. Lira and Elian start out not just hating each other but wanting and needing to kill each other! That doesn’t go out of the window once they lay eyes on each other either but is slowly eroded away over the course of the book as their respective goals throw them into constant conflict with each other. It’s absolutely beautiful and only enhanced by the natural spark and banter between them which really isn’t flirting for most of the book since it’s actually pretty nasty.

 

I love Lira as a character. I want to see more YA MCs like her – antiheroes that are intelligent, self-valuing, fierce, ruthless and driven, with plenty of agency and the potential to become more empathetic. Less simpering princesses please, fellow writers, and more queens-in-waiting like Lira. Above all let’s get away from the toxic idea that girls should always be ‘nice’.

 

The supporting cast were well rounded and diverse. It’s impossible not to love Elian’s crew who are a perfect ‘found-family’ in true ‘Six of Crows’ style.

 

And then for a fast paced of only moderate length, TKAK also boasts exquisite world building, compelling narrative and beautiful prose. You’d think there wasn’t much more that could be layered in after all that wouldn’t you? But the author has also explored several important themes; blind hatred; prejudice; redemption and atonement. And not forgetting abuse of power and indifference. Let’s unpack that last one a little because the Sea Queen is a truly terrifying villain lacking in even the remotest scrap of empathy. There is the way that Sirens are required to breed and produce young (it’s a female race – they are paired up by the queen with appropriate mermen. The differences between mermen, mermaids and sirens are fully explored.) This breeding order is incredibly disturbing in that the Sea Queen, holding all the power, does not care about her subjects or the fact that she is more or less ordering rape for procreation purposes. It really highlights how some women in positions of power become utterly deaf in all respects to those who don’t have power, perceiving weakness of whatever stripe as despicable and not worth protecting. Only the strong are worth protecting because they can be allies since they are strong enough to protect and aid themselves. It’s amazing how common this mindset is (The Will of the Empress by Tamora Pearce also looks at this phenomena) and the author has captured it perfectly even as a subtheme.

 

Most importantly TKAK is just sheer fun. It’s great to read, an enjoyable experience in and of itself. It takes aesthetic from several sources – fables, fairytales, Disney – and weaves something new with it in an unforgettable fantasy adventure. I highly recommend this bold, imaginative and slightly savage fantasy reimaging of The Little Mermaid.

Inventive, immersive fantasy with strong characters & witty banter, especially between the two leads. Great to have the action wrapped up in single volume. Ideal further reading for fans of Sarah J Maas et al.

I'd heard of "To Kill A Kingdom" in passing a few times on Instagram, a few online friends and other bloggers had received hard copies from the publisher etc but I hadn't paid it much mind, seeing the tentacles on the cover and assuming sea monster story. WRONG. It caught my eye again while browsing for a new read on Net Galley and after finally reading the synopsis for myself knew that I needed to get hold of this book. I like swimming, I like mermaids but I also like kick ass female characters and not too much silly romance (not all romance is silly but some can feel a little gag inducing). Mermaids weren't often the center of much ass kicking but sirens however...now we're talking! Reading this synopsis I imagine a much more blood soaked retelling of The Little mermaid and smoosh that request button so hard. Suffice to say the moment my request was approved I squeaked, did a little dance and shut myself in my room with my kindle and a packet of biscuits. 

The start of this book is blood thirsty, dark and is certainly not pulling any punches, I love a good book that can get my adrenaline going from the start and reel me in. From the beginning the Siren's side of things is often blood soaked and raw, even the way they treat each other, these scenes are often so tense with the promise of savagery and violence that I devoured them up with reckless abandon, hungry for more.  We see this story from the Prince's point of view as well which provided a good insight and needed information as well as another interesting perspective and dynamic. That and he, his pirate crew and his ship "The Saad" are absolutely brilliant and just as important characters as Lira herself.  The Over all the plot is good, fun and mostly exciting, even if some of the excitement comes from intrigue instead of purely action (there is plenty of both though!). It did however feel a little short to me and that everything at the end happened so fast that I wasn't entirely sure what was going on. I think this might possibly  be because of the fact it's a standalone book which is sadly a rare commodity these days. That and I devoured the last half of this book in a day or so which made it felt like the end appeared rather quickly - this is purely my own fault though. 

The writing felt easy flowing and kept the pace going at the right moments and then beautiful and descriptive when needed. There's nothing I hate more then a tense or action filled scene caught up with too many words that aren't needed, thankfully that isn't the case here. I will say I found the POV changes a little jarring and they probably could have done with being labelled so I knew who I was reading as sometimes I would get a paragraph or so into a chapter before realising who's side of the story I'm reading. It wasn't the end of the world though and after a while I reasoned it was a good example of how similar Lira and Elain  really are if I can't tell at first glance who's narrative I'm reading.

I really enjoyed Lira's character progression, although it takes a fairly obvious route there's much more to it, the same could be said for Elain, although his is a little more standard both character arc's feel fairly natural as do the connections they make and conclusions they come to which is a breath of fresh air from some of the books I've been reading lately. It's not until after when I tried to list their characteristics that I truly realise how similar Lira and Elain mirror each other, they're both sassy as hell and this means that a lot of their banter is brilliant and quick witted. If nothing else had sold me on this book that alone would have kept me reading, it was done so well. 

"They're insane and wonderful." Elain himself finds the best way to describe his crew. Although the crew is fairly big we get a few main characters and personalities to focus on, I particularly loved the relationship between Kye and Madrid who are a couple and click so well while not being too much, they give me serious Zoe and Wash vibes (Firefly) and are total relationship goals. Each named character feels genuine and fleshed out, whether that be by description, dialogue or inferred from the environment. It makes them easy to read and imagine. 

There is a romance in this which like the character progression I feel is fairly obvious but in the same way is different from a lot of the standard romance troupes we see in YA at the moment. Lira never loses sight of the end game and her goals. I'm so pleased to see a heroine not completely lose her head (or fins) for a love interest. Not once does this fierce, passionate creature become overly simpery or compromised in an uncharacteristic way and I'm all about that. There is one little scene that felt a bit strange and out of nowhere which I wasn't keen on but it was fast rectified with a similar and much better connected moment later on so I can forgive it. 

Overall this book was super enjoyable and covered a lot of bases for me. It was fast paced, fantasy based, just the right amount of romance and some of my favorite types of characters. Also pirates...did I mention pirates? I couldn't put my finger on an exact rating for this, torn between 4 and 5 as I enjoyed the heck out of this book and will certainly be recommending it to everyone I can as well as buying the finished edition when it releases but the 5 rating is often reserved for feels destroyers which this wasn't quite for me but is nether the less a great book. Therefore I shall award my first 4/5 rating to "Kill a Kingdom," it was well earned. 

This review will go live on my blog (link below) on 28/02/18. A shorter version has been posted to Waterstones and Goodreads.