The author’s prose is still engaging and this was a quick read. I still love the Kill a Kingdom universe. I guess a Rapunzel retelling is a hard sell for me because it was never a favourite and this diverges a lot but not in a way I really cared for. I didn’t really gel with the characters either. So good book, well written but ultimately not for me.

I rate this 4.5. This is the first work by Alexandra Christo that I’ve read. I first come across it on Readers First but did not win the draw. Then it caught my eye here on NetGalley hence requested to read it as I wasn’t sure I could wait until it is my turn in the library or for paperback to be published. It is another great fantasy book for me, quite a young adult version I would say compared to Harry Potter. There is such mystery, devastation, emotional, hope, betrayal at the worst, faith etc. I quite enjoyed it really. I like that it all wraps up well within one novel, I was reading and wondering if the book was going to end at a cliffhanger. I think it is a standalone book. To me, this is like an adult version of Harry Potter (which I enjoyed as a child). Thank you Bonnier Books UK and Alexandra Christo for this chance to read your work via netgalley.

I absolutely loved the premise for this book, I mean how doesn’t want to read a Rapunzel retelling?

I loved the relationship between Nox and Selestra and their journey but it just missed the mark for me, I wanted so much more from his tale.

A retelling of Rapunzel this is not what I was expecting, but exactly what I needed, I loved this so much. Selestra and Nox are fabulous, the story is wonderful and so fast paced, it feels like something is happening on every page, it such an addictive read and so engaging. I highly recommend this to readers of Alexandras previous books abd definitely to anyone who hasn’t read her books, you don’t know what you’re missing

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy in return for an honest review

Princess of Souls has a great quest-driven plot to find the sword that is capable of killing even an immortal. The group of 4 (the 2 main characters and their best friends) fit together so well and there's so much banter! Plus the 2 best friends are so lovable that I wanted their POVs too!

It is a dual POV book, which I love because we get to see what the love interest is thinking. Also it helps us understand each of their motivations in keeping secrets - which of course they do because one has decided to kill the other.

The actual quest is action filled with a couple of chapters of relief between each part which gives a nice reprieve from it and allows time for character development and bonding, whilst having the looming threat build up too.

I liked how the romance was slow; the main bulk of the book is spent building a friendship forged from trust - and trust is something that doesn't come naturally. Instead the relationships most focused on are that of parent-child which was refreshing. Selestra and her mother are arguably the most important relationship because whilst they love each other (or at the very least did at some point), they have opposing aims and loyalties.

Overall I'd say the book is about letting go and finding your identity so you can be your own person which is a beautiful sentiment for a book in my opinion - which also fits with the fact that it is a Rapunzel retelling.

p.s. The little references to her letting her hair down are nice references to Rapunzel.

This is a well paced fantasy YA novel. I get the Repunzel connection, but I think this is a unique story in its own right which deserves to be read. The story follows the interplay between two main characters, Selestra and Nox. Destiny has inter-twined their futures. Neither is quite the person they think. The author has a nice style with lots of humour shining through. This the first book I’ve read by Alexandra Christo, I’m sure it won’t be the last. Thank you to Hot Key Books and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine freely given.

My thanks to Netgalley, Hot Key Books and Alexandra Christo for an advanced copy of Princess of Souls in exchange for my honest review!

I was a HUGE fan of To Kill a Kingdom, a book who shares its world with this one so I went in expecting good things, and wasn't disappointed - although I would have loved to have seen Lira and Elian again. I did love the storyline too, and Selestra and Nox were great characters to read and see interact!

Really excited to get a physical copy!

Princess of Souls by Alexandra Christo is a fun, magical tale based on Rapunzel. This book is set in the same world as Christo's previous work, To Kill a Kingdom, however, it works marvellously as a standalone book.

Once again, Christo has built a wonderful world full of dark magic, treacherous seas, mysterious islands and mythical animals which all flow perfectly together.

The book was slightly more juvenile than I was expecting, although I think this was probably in order to reflect the naivety of Selestra, our tenacious green-haired FMC. The romance element was slow-burning and satisfyingly sweet. I loved the banter between Selestra and the rogue soldier, Nox. The dual POV also worked as a brilliant device to understand more about these two guarded and complex characters.

The book is incredibly fast paced and full of swashbuckling action from the very beginning.

Princess of Souls
⭐⭐⭐ 3 out of 5 stars

Selestra has spent most of her childhood locked up in a tower of a castle on the Floating Mountain. She is an heir of Somniatis witches’ magic that allows her to foretell the death of a person she touches. Every year, during the Festival of Predictions, volunteers arrive ready to risk their lives for a chance to have a wish granted by the king. All they need to do is outsmart their own death, as predicted by Selestra’s mother. If they fail, their souls are stolen and devoured by the ruthless King Seryth, who needs them to remain immortal...

Princess of Souls is a fast read, full of action, humour and adventure. If you loved To Kill A Kingdom, you would enjoy this book as well. The novel takes place in the same world as Christo’s previous work but in an isolated kingdom. The world created for this book is detailed and fascinating but seems less dark than the that known from To Kill A Kingdom. That can be caused by a different narrator. Where Lira is ruthless, determined and mature, Selestra seems almost innocent in comparison. The characters in Princess of Souls seem younger and more playful, creating a different atmosphere.

A few moments in the plot didn’t match the rest of the book or fantasy genre. There is a scene, for example, where the character is trying to find an ‘on button’, which was surprising for me as I would not expect him to know the concept. Still, I recommend this book to fans of YA fantasy fiction looking for a fast read.


My review:
https://abookishdaydream.wordpress.com/2022/10/09/arc-review-princess-of-souls/

This is my first AC read so I didn’t know what to expect when I started reading it.

The first thing that got my attention was how captivating her writing is. I felt totally immersed in the story and the plot was flowing so naturally like I was present in it.

The characters were also one important part of me liking it because they weren’t only interesting and well developed but they were in balance with the plot. No element is cupping the other and although we have a fantasy, there is no exaggeration in it.

The magic system and the world building are equally pleasing and provide an amazing experience to the reader.

Totally pleased with it! Highly recommend!

“I can tell someone when they’re going to die. All I need is a lock of hair and their soul.”*

Another amazing opening line by Alexandra Christo. I absolutely loved To Kill a Kingdom so of course I couldn’t wait to see if the Princess of Souls would be just as good and whilst it didn’t quite hit the 5-star heights of To Kill a Kingdom, it certainly didn’t disappoint. Full of intrigue, betrayal, loyalty and love, this Rapunzel-inspired fantasy captured my attention from beginning to end.

Selestra is a young witch, destined and bound to steal souls for an immortal King, until her fate is tied to a boy, full of vengeance, who’s trying to bring down her kingdom. Will she become the witch she’s always been told she must be or will she forge a new destiny for herself, one that will change her kingdom forever?

Forced to work together to survive, Selestra and Nox’s relationship starts out as a means to an end but very quickly becomes so much more. Their chemistry and interactions were brilliantly written and I really loved them as a couple.

Christo’s writing style really works for me. It flows beautifully and the pace is perfect. It has the right combination of world building, story telling and magic, with engaging characters that make you want to cheer for them. If you’ve enjoyed her previous books then you’re bound to enjoy this one too!

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

*quotation taken from an e-arc and therefore subject to change in the final version

Selestra is a witch, and not just any witch. But a witch bound to the king. Until her 18th birthday she is the heir to her mother. Selestra and her mothers one job is to harvest souls for the king in order for him to continue immortality. But Selestra finds her destiny is tied to that of a young soldier, Nox. And she doesn’t want to be the soul harvester shes been brought up to be. In an attempt to avenge his father and save the kingdom, the pair team up and embark on an adventure.

Enemies to lovers YA, its advertised as a Rapunzel retelling but i didnt see the similarities there. Was a very enjoyable read however!

I did find myself aging up the characters in my head. Selestra, our main female character, is 16 but she felt older in my opinion. Characterwise, the two side characters of Micah and Irenya were my favourites, they brought the fun.

The storyline was solid and fast paced. Super easy to follow, magic systems were well established but not complicated. Everything you want from a YA fantasy!

Many thanks to Net Galley and Hot Key Books for this arc!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK for the advance reader copy.

A story based loosely on Rapunzel, set in the same universe as Christo's previous book "To Kill A Kingdom"? Yes please! I really enjoyed the worldbuilding in TKAK and was so relieved that continued into this. Both main characters were interesting and I really enjoyed their points of view. I also enjoyed the approach to the mother-daughter relationship.

My biggest issues were the pacing towards the end and a few of the side characters. The ending portion felt a bit rushed. Would've loved to have had more focus on the chapters in the forest. I also would have loved to see more done with Micah and Irenya. They both ended up being quite one dimensional for me.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

I have a penchant for fairy tale retellings, and after reading To Kill A Kingdom last year, this author has been on my radar, so I was extremely excited to get the chance to read Princess of Souls before it’s release.

I absolutely loved the concept of this book; Selestra is a witch in service of an immortal king. As a descendant of a line of witches that are bound to steal souls to preserve the Kings life, Selestra’s life is one that is controlled at every turn, without the freedom to do whatever she wishes, down to her own appearance which is dictated by the King. While her mother acts as the witch tasked with stealing these souls, Selestra is in training and has witnessed the stark reality this task involves many times.

While this soul harvesting is portrayed to the kingdom as a celebration and a chance to gain a wish from the King, Nox intends to use the competition as a way to get rid of the King; for if he survives the month without dying he will gain all that the King has, killing the King in the process.

The execution of this was brilliant; I loved the use of the hot air balloon within the story and I enjoyed both the developing bond between Selestra and Nox, and the journey of self discovery Selestra takes through seeking freedom.

I firmly hope that this author will continue to write within this universe, and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.

A lovely twist on a Rapunzel fantasy story. This story is based back in the world of To Kill a Kingdom but no way linked.
I enjoyed the characters which were well written but unfortunately felt that some of the side characters didn’t get enough page time. The plot was good but I did find it a little overwhelming at times with information. The dual POV between Nox and Selestra really helps the story as you get to know the characters and there relationship.
I’m a huge fan of enemies to loves and this one ticked the box for me.
The ending of the book was excellent and I truly enjoyed reading this book.


Thank you to Bonnier Books UK (Hot Key Books) ,NetGalley and the author for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

To Kill a Kingdom has been on my TBR for forever however when I saw this available as an ARC, I couldn't resist requesting it to see what this was like to. It is reportedly set in the same world as TKAK however it can very easily be read as a stand-alone and whilst the setting is the same the characters are not.

I love a storytale re-telling so was looking forward to reading this Rapunzel-esque story. Now I can see some very small slight similarities; the young girl, kidnapped by the witch; the links between God and mortal; even potentially the immeasurable beauty, the long hair and the young soldier but that is about it.

Now most reviews I saw for this suggested they were hooked from the beginning but their interest waned as they got further through. I instead struggled initially to get into this book, I really had to persevere to begin to like any of the characters. They did however grow on me and I found myself wanting to know the outcome of the story. That said it felt a little rushed, or maybe lacking in depth. I enjoyed the foursome travelling across the isles and would have happily enjoyed longer sections or even books completing trials and tasks at each on the quest to destroy the King and his Witch. There was instead so much rammed into this book that nothing was done in significant detail, even the trials didn't feel like trials and I was surprised all three were done and the end sequence completed.

Overall therefore the premise was great but it was just a bit lacking.

This was a thrilling and exciting read. I loved how it mixed fantasy and action with hints of romance in there. The writing was done really well and i flew through this book as it kept me hooked all the way through. Selestra was an interesting character to follow and i liked how she developed over the course of the novel. Nox was written well and there were only a couple of places where i didn't love his character. I really hope there's a follow up to this as i loved this one!

This is a story set in the same world as To kill a kingdom, not a sequel but in the same world setting. I enjoyed this just as much as the first in the series. Echoes of Rapunzel and the Disney version Tangled. The character were interesting and complex. Loved it !

Princess of Souls is described as a Rapunzel retelling so I was seriously excited to read it. It's literally everything you want in YA novel. An FMC who finds inner strength, action, romance, witches and an evil soul stealing king!

This novel veers quite far from the original fairy tale, but it stands as a great book. Selestra is a Somniatis witch. When she eventually comes of age she'll inherit her mother's powers and will help the king by stealing souls to keep him immortal. She's resigned to her fate until Nox, a soldier in the last army, decides he'll compete in the King's tournament where he could sacrifice his soul and his life. Their fates become connected and Selestra finds herself on a journey to keep them both alive and avoid the fate of her family.

The characters of Selestra and Nox are fantastic. I kind of get FBBA Hawke/Poppy vibes from the two with their banter at times. They've got a great little enemies to lovers thing going on. This is a really fun fantasy novel with a fast plot that keeps you turning the pages and uttering the phrase, "one more chapter" again and again.

I really enjoyed this book and will look out for more by this author. Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Princess of Souls was my second read from Alexandra Christo and I loved it. Fairytale retellings are one of my favourite genres of books and this one was done very well. For those who don’t know Princess of Souls is a Rapunzel retelling, which is one of my favourite stories. The beauty of this book is how subtle the references are, bar a few which were obvious for comedic reasons. The essence of Rapunzel was always present, but Princess of Souls was very much its own story.

The world building was incredibly rich but at no point did I find myself lost and confused. The pacing at the beginning of the story was set out carefully and it really allowed the Six Isles to grow before your very eyes. After learning about each isle I would love to see a book set in each one, especially as a few of them have different types of witches.

Selestra, one of our main characters, was wonderful. She is a witch from the Somniatis line and is therefore sworn to serve the king once she turns eighteen. She is taught that her powers will not allow her to touch anyone without her seeing their death. Leading to her living a lonely life. Until the age of sixteen Selestra is sheltered within a tower with only one friend. Throughout the course of the book you see her go through a lot. From this she grows immensely as a character and I really liked her.

Nox, our second main character, is a soldier in the kings army. His fate is tied to Selestra in their first meeting and it only goes downhill from there. He is very headstrong, but has a goofy side. I really liked his character, even when he was planning his revenge to kill the king and Selestra.

When it comes to Alexandra Christo’s work I have come to expect an epic adventure and Princess of Souls did not let me down. I won’t say too much as I don’t like posting spoilers but I’ll give you three words: hot air balloon.

If you were a fan of To Kill A Kingdom then you absolutely need to read Princess of Souls. I’m not sure which is my favourite of the two just yet, To Kill A Kingdom just about has the edge as its about sirens, but Princess of Souls was just as amazing.