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Kingdom of Lies #4
A Queen This Fierce and Deadly
The price of love is loss.
We all pay it eventually…
In every life…
Some moments are too painful to be endured.
Some moments will break you if you let them.
And yet I can’t afford to let anything break me. Because we have one chance to win this war. One chance to create a better life for everyone across the four kingdoms.
Even as our enemies ally with each other, and our own allies are forced to betray their kingdoms, their people…and themselves.
And even as Regner plans something so cruel, so wholly evil, he’s poised to douse the last remaining spark of hope in this world.
Unless we kill him first.
We all pay it eventually…
In every life…
Some moments are too painful to be endured.
Some moments will break you if you let them.
And yet I can’t afford to let anything break me. Because we have one chance to win this war. One chance to create a better life for everyone across the four kingdoms.
Even as our enemies ally with each other, and our own allies are forced to betray their kingdoms, their people…and themselves.
And even as Regner plans something so cruel, so wholly evil, he’s poised to douse the last remaining spark of hope in this world.
Unless we kill him first.
641 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 30, 2024
5366 people are currently reading
40448 people want to read
About the author
Stacia Stark
18 books7,328 followersStacia Stark is a New York Times, USA Today, Sunday Times, and Amazon bestselling author of fantasy romance. Her books have been translated into over 16 languages, and her Kingdom of Lies series was nominated twice for Goodreads Choice Awards.
Stacia loves writing romantasy filled with found families, female friendship, self-reliant heroines, and brooding, grumpy heroes. When she’s not writing or exploring the world, she can usually be found sprawled on her sofa, lost in the pages of a good book.
Come say hi on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stark...
Or learn more at Staciastark.com
Stacia loves writing romantasy filled with found families, female friendship, self-reliant heroines, and brooding, grumpy heroes. When she’s not writing or exploring the world, she can usually be found sprawled on her sofa, lost in the pages of a good book.
Come say hi on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stark...
Or learn more at Staciastark.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,337 reviews
July 15, 2024
Decent finale but it did not wow me. Tbf this series could easily have been a duology imo and did not need to be dragged so much.
I liked the character growth and romance a lot in this one. Prisca and Lorian have my heart but it was Prisca who carried this book for me. I loved how badass she became over time and the way she loves Lorian is everything to see. Lorian and his loyalty to Prisca will always make me swoon. The action and battle sequences were really well written.
Apart from the book dragging, my other issue was the fact that too many pov spoil it for me. They all sort of started to get jumbled up in my head at a point and ended up having similar personalities to the point that they no longer stood out. Some of the chapters definitely felt like fillers.
The ending to this series was nicely done and the epilogue was the sweetest. Overall, a very average series imo.
~•~•~
Am gonna cry if this finale disappoints..
I liked the character growth and romance a lot in this one. Prisca and Lorian have my heart but it was Prisca who carried this book for me. I loved how badass she became over time and the way she loves Lorian is everything to see. Lorian and his loyalty to Prisca will always make me swoon. The action and battle sequences were really well written.
Apart from the book dragging, my other issue was the fact that too many pov spoil it for me. They all sort of started to get jumbled up in my head at a point and ended up having similar personalities to the point that they no longer stood out. Some of the chapters definitely felt like fillers.
The ending to this series was nicely done and the epilogue was the sweetest. Overall, a very average series imo.
~•~•~
Am gonna cry if this finale disappoints..
June 1, 2024
I NEED THIS BOOK TO FIX WHATEVER DAMAGE THE LAST ONE DID TO ME
September 2, 2024
✅ Characters
✅ Found family
✅ Romance and some smut
✅ Multiple POVs
✅ Fighting and magic
✅ Pace
✅ Plot
✅(🆗) A lot of secondary characters
❗️❗️Trigger warnings: deaths, death of animals, mild gore, seeing ghosts, poisoning, mild torture (we see the result of it, not when it happens)
This final book picks up right where A Crown This Cold and Heavy ended, with Prisca deciding to go against the Gods, to save her mate’s life. In the aftermath of this battle, she realizes that there are consequences to her choice, affecting Lorian and her. She doesn’t have the time to dwell on it though, as she needs to find the final amulet, make alliances, gather an army, and evacuate the hybrids hiding before Regner’s soldiers find and kill them.
The love and friendship in this series is a balm to the heart. Whether it’s romantic love, family, or friendship, they would all die for each other, and it was beautiful to see. The main romance of the series remains between Prisca and Lorian, and I love how, from the very beginning, Lorian let Prisca make her own decisions, and didn’t take the burden of ruling and making tough calls away from her. He gives his opinion, but ultimately, she gets to decide what she wants to do. Their romance is strong and deep, and while I adore blossoming romance with the flirting and butterflies in the belly, it’s also nice to read books with couples that have been together for a while. It gives a different vibe to the romance, and it's a nice change.
Conreth and Lorian finally making peace felt so good. I would have been very sad if they ended this series with tensions between them. Since they were reunited in the second book, I was hoping that they would get the time to talk and realize that their relationship was more important than any past feud they might have had. It was just nice to see them learn from their mistake, try to build back what they used to have, and be there for each other.
The characters all continue to be complex and layered, but I did miss the found family vibe that was more present in the previous books. There are still strong bonds between every member of Prisca’s group, but because there is so much to do, they end up being separated into smaller groups for most of the book, only reuniting near the end. Still, the love and friendship between them all were strong and pure, and it was beautiful to see how far they were willing to go to protect each other.
I love that there were various POVs in this book, which was necessary since the characters were not all together, but it also gave more depth to some characters. I find that Asinia and Madinia especially grew in this book. The battle scenes were also awesomely written, and the different POVs allowed us to see what was happening on the battlefield through different sets of eyes.
Some characters who previously seemed unimportant left their mark in this book. Besides Prisca’s group, other characters played a key role in the war, and I have to admire how the author was able to take some characters we met in the previous books but seemed to only be passing acquaintances, or old friends with no important role to play, and render them so important in the battles that unfolded. That being said, I’d forgotten about some of the secondary characters that ended up being relevant, so I was a little confused at times when a character would come back into the story, and I was expected to remember who they were.
I will not talk in length about every relevant character in this book, because this review would never end, but I was happy with the character development and the new bonds between all of them.
Asinia gained confidence in this final book, and it was beautiful to see her be so assertive and confident, after feeling like a liability for so long. It broke my heart in the previous book when I saw how useless she felt with all the faes and warriors around, and she deserved to have a bigger role in this book and to make choices that would make her feel valued and important.
Madinia remains one of the biggest surprises for me in this series. She remained feisty and prickly throughout the series but slowly grew on me. By the end of the second book, I was a fan of hers, and I was in love by the end of the third book. I am happy that she got her chapters in this book, and that she was able to feel like she made a real difference in the war, but still kept her spark of wildfire.
Kaliera has no one to blame for her situation but herself and her selfishness. Sure, she had to endure and obey Regner, but when she was given chances to make good, selfless choices, she proved time and time again that she only wanted power for herself. I was hoping at first that we might get a redemption ARC, as we did for Queen Malina in the Plated Prisoner series, but Kaliera was just vain and power-hungry until the end. Jamic was a wild card in this book, in the sense that I had no idea until the very end if he was trustworthy, or if he would end up trying to double-cross and betray Prisca because he wanted to be with his mother and help her, and I like that he kept me on my toes.
The romance was still a part of the plot, but it took a backseat as the characters had to focus on the battles and life-or-death situations they kept finding themselves in. There are still a few spicy moments, but it’s not the main focus of this book. Lorian and Prisca’s relationship is already well-established and strong, so there is less flirting and more teamwork and constant support. As for the other characters, some of them found love during this adventure, but I like that it didn't take the focus off the main quest. I was happy for them to get some time with their loved ones, and to see love blossom in the middle of all the action and horrors they endured, but I was also happy that this was not all about smut, and that the author didn’t force smut into every other chapter, creating situations where smut does not have room, but is still forced into the story, as is sadly the case with a few fantasy series I’ve read.
This was an epic conclusion to this amazing series, and while everything was resolved, I still feel that there might be an opening for a future Madinia spinoff. This last scene with her leaves me with questions, and I hope she will get her story someday. I will miss them all and will reread this series eventually for sure.
1. A Court this Cruel & Lovely ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
2. A Kingdom this Cursed & Empty ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
3. A Crown this Cold & Heavy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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✅ Found family
✅ Romance and some smut
✅ Multiple POVs
✅ Fighting and magic
✅ Pace
✅ Plot
✅(🆗) A lot of secondary characters
❗️❗️Trigger warnings: deaths, death of animals, mild gore, seeing ghosts, poisoning, mild torture (we see the result of it, not when it happens)
This final book picks up right where A Crown This Cold and Heavy ended, with Prisca deciding to go against the Gods, to save her mate’s life. In the aftermath of this battle, she realizes that there are consequences to her choice, affecting Lorian and her. She doesn’t have the time to dwell on it though, as she needs to find the final amulet, make alliances, gather an army, and evacuate the hybrids hiding before Regner’s soldiers find and kill them.
“In every life, wildcat. No matter what happens, you hold on to that. It’s you and me in every life.”
The love and friendship in this series is a balm to the heart. Whether it’s romantic love, family, or friendship, they would all die for each other, and it was beautiful to see. The main romance of the series remains between Prisca and Lorian, and I love how, from the very beginning, Lorian let Prisca make her own decisions, and didn’t take the burden of ruling and making tough calls away from her. He gives his opinion, but ultimately, she gets to decide what she wants to do. Their romance is strong and deep, and while I adore blossoming romance with the flirting and butterflies in the belly, it’s also nice to read books with couples that have been together for a while. It gives a different vibe to the romance, and it's a nice change.
“Because before I was the fae king and you were the Bloodthirsty Prince, we were brothers.”
Conreth and Lorian finally making peace felt so good. I would have been very sad if they ended this series with tensions between them. Since they were reunited in the second book, I was hoping that they would get the time to talk and realize that their relationship was more important than any past feud they might have had. It was just nice to see them learn from their mistake, try to build back what they used to have, and be there for each other.
The characters all continue to be complex and layered, but I did miss the found family vibe that was more present in the previous books. There are still strong bonds between every member of Prisca’s group, but because there is so much to do, they end up being separated into smaller groups for most of the book, only reuniting near the end. Still, the love and friendship between them all were strong and pure, and it was beautiful to see how far they were willing to go to protect each other.
I love that there were various POVs in this book, which was necessary since the characters were not all together, but it also gave more depth to some characters. I find that Asinia and Madinia especially grew in this book. The battle scenes were also awesomely written, and the different POVs allowed us to see what was happening on the battlefield through different sets of eyes.
Some characters who previously seemed unimportant left their mark in this book. Besides Prisca’s group, other characters played a key role in the war, and I have to admire how the author was able to take some characters we met in the previous books but seemed to only be passing acquaintances, or old friends with no important role to play, and render them so important in the battles that unfolded. That being said, I’d forgotten about some of the secondary characters that ended up being relevant, so I was a little confused at times when a character would come back into the story, and I was expected to remember who they were.
I will not talk in length about every relevant character in this book, because this review would never end, but I was happy with the character development and the new bonds between all of them.
I’d once thought the worst feeling was terror. I was wrong. The worst feeling was helplessness.
Asinia gained confidence in this final book, and it was beautiful to see her be so assertive and confident, after feeling like a liability for so long. It broke my heart in the previous book when I saw how useless she felt with all the faes and warriors around, and she deserved to have a bigger role in this book and to make choices that would make her feel valued and important.
I had never been particularly good at persuading people to do what I wanted them to do. Personally, I excelled at blackmail, manipulation, and sly coercion.
Madinia remains one of the biggest surprises for me in this series. She remained feisty and prickly throughout the series but slowly grew on me. By the end of the second book, I was a fan of hers, and I was in love by the end of the third book. I am happy that she got her chapters in this book, and that she was able to feel like she made a real difference in the war, but still kept her spark of wildfire.
Kaliera has no one to blame for her situation but herself and her selfishness. Sure, she had to endure and obey Regner, but when she was given chances to make good, selfless choices, she proved time and time again that she only wanted power for herself. I was hoping at first that we might get a redemption ARC, as we did for Queen Malina in the Plated Prisoner series, but Kaliera was just vain and power-hungry until the end. Jamic was a wild card in this book, in the sense that I had no idea until the very end if he was trustworthy, or if he would end up trying to double-cross and betray Prisca because he wanted to be with his mother and help her, and I like that he kept me on my toes.
The romance was still a part of the plot, but it took a backseat as the characters had to focus on the battles and life-or-death situations they kept finding themselves in. There are still a few spicy moments, but it’s not the main focus of this book. Lorian and Prisca’s relationship is already well-established and strong, so there is less flirting and more teamwork and constant support. As for the other characters, some of them found love during this adventure, but I like that it didn't take the focus off the main quest. I was happy for them to get some time with their loved ones, and to see love blossom in the middle of all the action and horrors they endured, but I was also happy that this was not all about smut, and that the author didn’t force smut into every other chapter, creating situations where smut does not have room, but is still forced into the story, as is sadly the case with a few fantasy series I’ve read.
This was an epic conclusion to this amazing series, and while everything was resolved, I still feel that there might be an opening for a future Madinia spinoff. This last scene with her leaves me with questions, and I hope she will get her story someday. I will miss them all and will reread this series eventually for sure.
1. A Court this Cruel & Lovely ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
2. A Kingdom this Cursed & Empty ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
3. A Crown this Cold & Heavy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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June 5, 2024
This genuinely PAINS me rating this so low. I absolutely ADORED the first 3 books in this series and the fact that the conclusion was a complete flop is beyond upsetting. Essentially 80% of this book was filler and build up to a final battle that ended up being entirely underwhelming and extremely rushed. The connections I felt towards our characters just weren’t there for me in this book. The found family aspect I loved was missing. The romance fell extremely flat. I hated the direction some of our POVs took, they ended up being unnecessary to the overall plot of the story and just seemed extremely repetitive. Everything was resolved too easily. There were no consequences to going against the natural balance of magic and defying the gods which really bothered me and left a major plot hole in the story. Our MMC Lorain took a huge back seat in this book, I genuinely don’t think the story would have changed at all if you took out his POV in this book, nor would I notice. Prisca our FMC started to really annoy me and I felt like her character actually regressed in this book.
Ugh I’m so DISAPPOINTED 😭.
But honestly I still recommend this series because 3/4 books were so so good and definitely worth the read! And who knows maybe you’ll like the conclusion more than I did (I hope!!)
Ugh I’m so DISAPPOINTED 😭.
But honestly I still recommend this series because 3/4 books were so so good and definitely worth the read! And who knows maybe you’ll like the conclusion more than I did (I hope!!)
August 19, 2024
I did enjoy this series and would recommend it! I definitely think the 1st book was my favourite. The middle 2 were fun but the 4th one felt like it wrapped up too quickly and too neatly.
We were building up to this final big event across the first 3 books but the ending somehow felt rushed. Being the longest book in the series I felt like we could have cut down so much of the first 3/4 of the book and focused on the ending!!!
Where were Lorain’s POV chapters??? What happened, it felt like we lost a big chunk of the main 2 characters (both narrative wise and personality wise). We started focusing on too many of the side character and subplots so it felt like we lost a bit of the overall story, tension and plot twists that made the first few books sooo good.
Overall I enjoyed the series and would still recommend it, I just wish we had a stronger ending to the story!
We were building up to this final big event across the first 3 books but the ending somehow felt rushed. Being the longest book in the series I felt like we could have cut down so much of the first 3/4 of the book and focused on the ending!!!
Where were Lorain’s POV chapters??? What happened, it felt like we lost a big chunk of the main 2 characters (both narrative wise and personality wise). We started focusing on too many of the side character and subplots so it felt like we lost a bit of the overall story, tension and plot twists that made the first few books sooo good.
Overall I enjoyed the series and would still recommend it, I just wish we had a stronger ending to the story!
June 26, 2024
2.5 rounding up. Unfortunately I feel like this series just went downhill after the first book.
Book 1: absolutely addicting, loved every freaking moment of it and wanted more!
Book 2: it was fine but still pretty boring
Book 3: what are we doing… oh, nothing just smut.
Book 4: literal filler book with one last anticlimactic war scene that was a re written SJM battle.
I was not a fan of how this series progressed and it makes me so sad.
Book 1: absolutely addicting, loved every freaking moment of it and wanted more!
Book 2: it was fine but still pretty boring
Book 3: what are we doing… oh, nothing just smut.
Book 4: literal filler book with one last anticlimactic war scene that was a re written SJM battle.
I was not a fan of how this series progressed and it makes me so sad.
August 17, 2024
Enjoyable but overall an ok series
June 4, 2024
“Our story doesn't end when this life does. You'll be mine in the next life--and the life after that.”
💫
Gotdayum. Another series out here trying to get me pregnant... A Queen this Fierce and Deadly literally had zero chill and was rizzing me up so hard the entire time I was reading it. It didn't even have to flirt with me, I was so into it by page one. For real, put this on your TBR. You won't regret it. This is the fourth and final book in the Kingdom of Lies series, and it was worth it, I promise.👑 I pre-ordered it and as soon as it dropped on my Kindle, I paused everything else I was reading to. jump. on. that. shit. And I needed this book to fix the severe emotional damage the last one inflicted upon me.
Characters:
The characters in this series are so fucking well-developed. Stacia Stark has written each of them in a way where you can't help but fall in love with their personalities.❤️ None of them are one dimensional. They all are multi-layered🧅 with backstories, and when the characters meet and come together it is so natural. Prisca and Lorian--our main protagonists from book one--are simply the best. You can truly feel the love there and there are so many diverse side characters that become 'found family.' As a reader you instantly grow attached. Personally, Galon, Asinia and Demos are my sweet little loves, but I have a certain soft spot for our class-A asshole, Madinia. She's my absolute favorite. But honestly, I love ALL of these characters--Tibris, Vicer, Marth, Rythos, etc. The villains are even well-written to the point that you actually loathe them deep in your soul.
💫 “I don’t think it’s the memories of your life that you see when you die. I think it’s the people you’ll miss the most. The people who made your life worth living."
The friendships and relationships formed are deep, believable, and strong. 👏🏻 The romance between multiple different characters is so well done and definitely a slow-burn, but the chemistry is 🔥; and once you get to a spicy scene, lemme tell ya--Stacia Stark delivers.
💫 "But now, he looked at me as if I was the last star left in a sky filled with darkness. He looked at me as if he was drowning and I was the only one who could give him air."
Worldbuilding:
The world building is scrumptious! 🌏It continually develops each book and never ceases to amaze me. It was so well-done. I love a fantasy book where I can imagine the world where the characters are battling it out, and Stark did such a fantastic job distinguishing the fae lands, Quorith, and Lyrinore. She created a world you could almost see on a map and envision the forests, rivers, and hybrid/rebel encampments.🌳🏞️🏕️🏰
Battle Scenes/POV:
And can we talk about the fucking battle scenes in this fourth book?⚔️ Holy fucking cow! *chefs fucking kiss*🤌🏻 Told from varying POVs, you get to see battles (and the whole war in general) in different phases and through different eyes. It is so fucking cool! I absolutely adored this! At first, all the different POVs are a little overwhelming, but it is so worth it in the end.🗡️🏹 The monsters/creatures in this book are so cool, too. From the taloned skyrions flying through the sky to the feral terrovians prowling on the ground, you could truly imagine them ripping armies apart.☠️ Also, there is so. much. magic! Elemental and non-elemental. ✨🌊🔥🌱🌬️
Other Thoughts:
My only real qualm about this book was the weird, disappointing ending--the little notes at the end. You'll know what I'm talking about when you read it--I'm not going to spoil it for anyone. I just feel like that part could have been left out. While I understand that the author was trying to wrap up certain characters' stories, it ruined the vibe of the ending and made it all "cutesy". Also, what was up with the weird Calysian sprinting scene on the dock? Where did he go? Why was he there? (There must be some sort of Madinia spin-off series coming.)
The epilogue itself might have dropped my rating to a 4.5, but we round en la casa de Goodreads, ~5⭐. A Queen this Fierce and Deadly remained a five star read for me. How could it not with characters, world-building, plot, and battle scenes like that?! This book felt very high fantasy, but had a heavy subplot of romance... Totally my vibe.☺️ If you are a Throne of Glass fan, you will like this series.
💫 “I vow to be the roots that ground you, the branches that help you reach for your dreams, and the shelter that forever keeps you safe. I will love you in every life.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Gotdayum. Another series out here trying to get me pregnant... A Queen this Fierce and Deadly literally had zero chill and was rizzing me up so hard the entire time I was reading it. It didn't even have to flirt with me, I was so into it by page one. For real, put this on your TBR. You won't regret it. This is the fourth and final book in the Kingdom of Lies series, and it was worth it, I promise.👑 I pre-ordered it and as soon as it dropped on my Kindle, I paused everything else I was reading to. jump. on. that. shit. And I needed this book to fix the severe emotional damage the last one inflicted upon me.
Characters:
The characters in this series are so fucking well-developed. Stacia Stark has written each of them in a way where you can't help but fall in love with their personalities.❤️ None of them are one dimensional. They all are multi-layered🧅 with backstories, and when the characters meet and come together it is so natural. Prisca and Lorian--our main protagonists from book one--are simply the best. You can truly feel the love there and there are so many diverse side characters that become 'found family.' As a reader you instantly grow attached. Personally, Galon, Asinia and Demos are my sweet little loves, but I have a certain soft spot for our class-A asshole, Madinia. She's my absolute favorite. But honestly, I love ALL of these characters--Tibris, Vicer, Marth, Rythos, etc. The villains are even well-written to the point that you actually loathe them deep in your soul.
💫 “I don’t think it’s the memories of your life that you see when you die. I think it’s the people you’ll miss the most. The people who made your life worth living."
The friendships and relationships formed are deep, believable, and strong. 👏🏻 The romance between multiple different characters is so well done and definitely a slow-burn, but the chemistry is 🔥; and once you get to a spicy scene, lemme tell ya--Stacia Stark delivers.
💫 "But now, he looked at me as if I was the last star left in a sky filled with darkness. He looked at me as if he was drowning and I was the only one who could give him air."
Worldbuilding:
The world building is scrumptious! 🌏It continually develops each book and never ceases to amaze me. It was so well-done. I love a fantasy book where I can imagine the world where the characters are battling it out, and Stark did such a fantastic job distinguishing the fae lands, Quorith, and Lyrinore. She created a world you could almost see on a map and envision the forests, rivers, and hybrid/rebel encampments.🌳🏞️🏕️🏰
Battle Scenes/POV:
And can we talk about the fucking battle scenes in this fourth book?⚔️ Holy fucking cow! *chefs fucking kiss*🤌🏻 Told from varying POVs, you get to see battles (and the whole war in general) in different phases and through different eyes. It is so fucking cool! I absolutely adored this! At first, all the different POVs are a little overwhelming, but it is so worth it in the end.🗡️🏹 The monsters/creatures in this book are so cool, too. From the taloned skyrions flying through the sky to the feral terrovians prowling on the ground, you could truly imagine them ripping armies apart.☠️ Also, there is so. much. magic! Elemental and non-elemental. ✨🌊🔥🌱🌬️
Other Thoughts:
My only real qualm about this book was the weird, disappointing ending--the little notes at the end. You'll know what I'm talking about when you read it--I'm not going to spoil it for anyone. I just feel like that part could have been left out. While I understand that the author was trying to wrap up certain characters' stories, it ruined the vibe of the ending and made it all "cutesy". Also, what was up with the weird Calysian sprinting scene on the dock? Where did he go? Why was he there? (There must be some sort of Madinia spin-off series coming.)
The epilogue itself might have dropped my rating to a 4.5, but we round en la casa de Goodreads, ~5⭐. A Queen this Fierce and Deadly remained a five star read for me. How could it not with characters, world-building, plot, and battle scenes like that?! This book felt very high fantasy, but had a heavy subplot of romance... Totally my vibe.☺️ If you are a Throne of Glass fan, you will like this series.
💫 “I vow to be the roots that ground you, the branches that help you reach for your dreams, and the shelter that forever keeps you safe. I will love you in every life.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
May 26, 2024
Spoiler free ARC review!
I have no idea how to start this review other than saying this was hands down one of the best books I have ever read in my entire life, and I will never forget how it felt to read it. It was one of those oh so precious books that remind you exactly why, deep in your very bones, you are at your core a reader. I laughed, I screamed, I gasped, I swooned, I cried every variation of happy and sad tears. Every single chapter felt like my favorite until the next. Every POV felt like I couldn’t let it end until it flawlessly tossed me into the next POV that I couldn’t wait to get back to. How Stacia writes multi POV with the ability to make each POV, and each character feel like the only POV as you read it is truly masterful. You never feel confused by the character switches, or lost. It’s a flawlessly organic feeling transition that only adds to her incredible pacing, and tension. Truly, nobody does cliff hangers, gasp moments, and muscle snapping tension like Stacia. This book was the epitome of that strength in her writing.
She knows exactly what emotions, and pay offs are needed and when, and how to choose who and what to sacrifice in a way that feeds the emotional complexity of the plot. At no point did I want to put it down, at no point did I hit a lag, I just felt like I stepped through a mirror to watch it all unfold with flawlessly paced progression. We were given plenty of time to tie up all of the plot lines, progress through the arc of the story, and given closure in a way that felt organic. She faithfully gave time to the various side characters that became just as important to us as readers as the main characters, and it was beautiful. Truly. So many times I just sat back and thought about how full and rich it felt. I remember thinking how powerful these moment were, moments I had to stop and annotate because they felt so fiercely defiant and beautiful.
She took characters to all new heights in this final book, and wholeheartedly did them justice. The complexity in our morally grey and potentially villainous characters reminds us yet again to ask ourselves what truly makes someone a monster? What makes someone irredeemable? I will be talking about certain scenes that moved me to full blown tears and cheering out loud for the rest of my life. I get chills thinking about some of the powerful scenes we get with characters that people may have mistakenly thought of as weak, or selfish or without heart before. I bawled my eyes out over a character we only meet so briefly we barely find out their name, because there was so much power behind that brief character it gripped me to see them make the ultimate sacrifice with a smile.
One of my favorite “side” characters that I secretly hope might end up someday getting their own story had a moment that literally had me jumping on my bed cheering like I was watching the World Series. Again, it’s books like this that remind us why we are readers right? These moments non readers can’t understand. Where you fall in love, and fall apart, and are healed, all within the pages gratefully. Those pivotal books that burrow into your heart, and never leave. A Queen this fierce and deadly is without a doubt for me one of those books.
This series is so important to me, I know that’s obvious of course. It’s in my top 3 favorite reads of all time, and I knew it would hurt to have it end. I found myself feeling so sad when I was 3/4 in thinking am I ready? But, I have to say Stacia gave us her all. Truly, there’s nothing I see (minus potential for spin offs but that’s my side character obsessed heart) stepping back that she left unsaid, or undone. She truly left it all on the page, and I can’t imagine what more she could have given us for this story arc. It’s stunning in its completeness, and even though I’ll always yearn for how it felt to read it for the very first time, I’m happily closing this book knowing it felt so very, very right. It was an absolute love letter to this world she’s built, and Stacia, you created a timeless masterpiece that readers will never forget.
I am in awe of all that was accomplished here.
It was an absolute honor to ARC read this for Stacia Stark in exchange for an honest review. My views are very clearly my own, but I had to just say it anyways for legal reasons.
I have no idea how to start this review other than saying this was hands down one of the best books I have ever read in my entire life, and I will never forget how it felt to read it. It was one of those oh so precious books that remind you exactly why, deep in your very bones, you are at your core a reader. I laughed, I screamed, I gasped, I swooned, I cried every variation of happy and sad tears. Every single chapter felt like my favorite until the next. Every POV felt like I couldn’t let it end until it flawlessly tossed me into the next POV that I couldn’t wait to get back to. How Stacia writes multi POV with the ability to make each POV, and each character feel like the only POV as you read it is truly masterful. You never feel confused by the character switches, or lost. It’s a flawlessly organic feeling transition that only adds to her incredible pacing, and tension. Truly, nobody does cliff hangers, gasp moments, and muscle snapping tension like Stacia. This book was the epitome of that strength in her writing.
She knows exactly what emotions, and pay offs are needed and when, and how to choose who and what to sacrifice in a way that feeds the emotional complexity of the plot. At no point did I want to put it down, at no point did I hit a lag, I just felt like I stepped through a mirror to watch it all unfold with flawlessly paced progression. We were given plenty of time to tie up all of the plot lines, progress through the arc of the story, and given closure in a way that felt organic. She faithfully gave time to the various side characters that became just as important to us as readers as the main characters, and it was beautiful. Truly. So many times I just sat back and thought about how full and rich it felt. I remember thinking how powerful these moment were, moments I had to stop and annotate because they felt so fiercely defiant and beautiful.
She took characters to all new heights in this final book, and wholeheartedly did them justice. The complexity in our morally grey and potentially villainous characters reminds us yet again to ask ourselves what truly makes someone a monster? What makes someone irredeemable? I will be talking about certain scenes that moved me to full blown tears and cheering out loud for the rest of my life. I get chills thinking about some of the powerful scenes we get with characters that people may have mistakenly thought of as weak, or selfish or without heart before. I bawled my eyes out over a character we only meet so briefly we barely find out their name, because there was so much power behind that brief character it gripped me to see them make the ultimate sacrifice with a smile.
One of my favorite “side” characters that I secretly hope might end up someday getting their own story had a moment that literally had me jumping on my bed cheering like I was watching the World Series. Again, it’s books like this that remind us why we are readers right? These moments non readers can’t understand. Where you fall in love, and fall apart, and are healed, all within the pages gratefully. Those pivotal books that burrow into your heart, and never leave. A Queen this fierce and deadly is without a doubt for me one of those books.
This series is so important to me, I know that’s obvious of course. It’s in my top 3 favorite reads of all time, and I knew it would hurt to have it end. I found myself feeling so sad when I was 3/4 in thinking am I ready? But, I have to say Stacia gave us her all. Truly, there’s nothing I see (minus potential for spin offs but that’s my side character obsessed heart) stepping back that she left unsaid, or undone. She truly left it all on the page, and I can’t imagine what more she could have given us for this story arc. It’s stunning in its completeness, and even though I’ll always yearn for how it felt to read it for the very first time, I’m happily closing this book knowing it felt so very, very right. It was an absolute love letter to this world she’s built, and Stacia, you created a timeless masterpiece that readers will never forget.
I am in awe of all that was accomplished here.
It was an absolute honor to ARC read this for Stacia Stark in exchange for an honest review. My views are very clearly my own, but I had to just say it anyways for legal reasons.
January 27, 2025
Why oh why oh why did it take me so long to read this book series?
Initially I was put off with the book names and covers. It felt too much like they were trying to duplicate ACOTAR and my preconceived notion was that this meant the whole series would be a duplication. I cannot say it loud enough, THIS IS NOT THE CASE.
This series is unique in so many ways, from the world building, to the magic, to the characters.
I think Prisca may be one of the best FMC's in a fantasy series I have ever read. She follows the standard stereotype of girl who people perceive as weak, with a secret and it turns out she's actually got incredibly powerful magic and she is a stolen Queen, we've all read this before! But what I loved, is that she didn't turn arrogant or reckless with her magic throughout the series. She made hard choices but she kept her heart and her softness. Too often this isn't the case with the FMC in a fantasy series and I find myself liking them less and less throughout the books because it feels like we lose the character we initially became attached to.
Another thing I loved was Lorian (I mean...who couldn't.) But in most fantasy book series the MMC becomes dulled down after the first book, suddenly he is less powerful than the FMC and his character is reduced to nothing more than her romantic interest with no plot or personality for themselves. This never happened during this series. Lorian remained powerful in his own right with a complex and thoroughly compelling personality.
Then dont even get me started on all the side characters that I became so attached to. I loved how much depth every character was given. It felt like we had multiple FMC and MMC's by the end and I loved it. I loved every POV in this book and I loved the side characters who didn't get a POV just as much.
I DEVOURED this book series in less than a week and I'm so sad the ride is over. I became so submerged into this world, I don't think I'm ready to leave it. I think I'm going to need a second to digest this series before I move onto a new book.
I highly recommend these books to anybody that loves romantasy.
Initially I was put off with the book names and covers. It felt too much like they were trying to duplicate ACOTAR and my preconceived notion was that this meant the whole series would be a duplication. I cannot say it loud enough, THIS IS NOT THE CASE.
This series is unique in so many ways, from the world building, to the magic, to the characters.
I think Prisca may be one of the best FMC's in a fantasy series I have ever read. She follows the standard stereotype of girl who people perceive as weak, with a secret and it turns out she's actually got incredibly powerful magic and she is a stolen Queen, we've all read this before! But what I loved, is that she didn't turn arrogant or reckless with her magic throughout the series. She made hard choices but she kept her heart and her softness. Too often this isn't the case with the FMC in a fantasy series and I find myself liking them less and less throughout the books because it feels like we lose the character we initially became attached to.
Another thing I loved was Lorian (I mean...who couldn't.) But in most fantasy book series the MMC becomes dulled down after the first book, suddenly he is less powerful than the FMC and his character is reduced to nothing more than her romantic interest with no plot or personality for themselves. This never happened during this series. Lorian remained powerful in his own right with a complex and thoroughly compelling personality.
Then dont even get me started on all the side characters that I became so attached to. I loved how much depth every character was given. It felt like we had multiple FMC and MMC's by the end and I loved it. I loved every POV in this book and I loved the side characters who didn't get a POV just as much.
I DEVOURED this book series in less than a week and I'm so sad the ride is over. I became so submerged into this world, I don't think I'm ready to leave it. I think I'm going to need a second to digest this series before I move onto a new book.
I highly recommend these books to anybody that loves romantasy.
September 27, 2024
2.25 ⭐️
This book… the way book 3 ended I had such high hopes for it, but I was struggling so badly through the entirety of the book. There were too many POV’s and I could have cared less for the Queen’s POV, it did nothing to add to the story and every time it came up I actually sighed with annoyance. I even almost got tired of Prisca and Lorian’s POV’s cause it felt like I was reading the same thing over and over again. I much preferred Lorian’s character in book’s two and three before he became utterly obsessed with Prisca, don’t get me wrong I love a territorial Fae man just as much as the next person but damn it was a bit too much. Just the whole thing was so blah.
This book… the way book 3 ended I had such high hopes for it, but I was struggling so badly through the entirety of the book. There were too many POV’s and I could have cared less for the Queen’s POV, it did nothing to add to the story and every time it came up I actually sighed with annoyance. I even almost got tired of Prisca and Lorian’s POV’s cause it felt like I was reading the same thing over and over again. I much preferred Lorian’s character in book’s two and three before he became utterly obsessed with Prisca, don’t get me wrong I love a territorial Fae man just as much as the next person but damn it was a bit too much. Just the whole thing was so blah.
June 11, 2024
Only finished bc it was last in the series. First book was great, but each book was subsequently worse and worse. It was a struggle to get through this one.
April 8, 2026
I wondered what it felt like to die.
Now I don’t have to wonder anymore, cause now I know.
I probably held my breath through the entire book.
And now I don’t know how to breathe again, because holy shit.
Honestly, I don’t even know where to begin.
It was chaotic and yet laid out in a way that made it so easy to follow the chaos.
The plot was going strong through the entire book. There was a mixture of moments where they laughed, where they cried, where they were hopeful, and full of despair.
There was fighting through the whole book, rather than a single battle where everything miraculously came to a happily ever after. And the author took her time showing the aftermath of the fighting, and the tension before. And it just made my adrenaline race.
Prisca stepped up to be a queen, more than before, in this book. I feel like for the first time she wanted to be a queen to her people, not only for them, but for herself as well.
To make her family proud, but also because she believed in herself.
I thought I wouldn’t like seeing her without her powers, mostly because I thought a lot of her inner monologue would be stuck dwelling on it. But she made plans, contributed, and fought just as hard in this book as she did in the other.
And when she had the confrontation with herself, alone, I felt like her character grew even more than before.
Lorian fought his own battles in this book as well. Being confronted with his past and his reputation. I was extremely worried about him for a second, or a few, but naturally the big fae bastard could handle himself in the end.
He also stepped up and was more than just Prisca’s mate and protector against anyone who dared give her a paper cut.
He tried to prove himself to her people, because they were his people too.
And I loved every time we saw him with his brother.
Conreth has grown soo much, and I truly hated him for the brother he had been to Lorian, but he woke up and truly made things right, not just between him and Lorian, but between him and Prisca as well.
Like, I am not a forgiving person, a trait I’m trying to work on, but to me, he was completely redeemed, and I had a huge smile on my face when I read the very end of this book and we saw his life in the epilogue.
Finally, FINALLY, Asinia and Demos got their heads out of their asses and admitted their feelings for each other.
And I laughed when Demos realised Asinia hadn’t run with the others like he had instructed her to do.
Poor naive male thinking she would obey him…
Marth, Rythos and Galon were amazing! I just love them. Give them to me.
When Galon hugged Prisca and said he was proud of her, and Marth had to dry a tear in his eye because he was also proud, not to mention when Rythos told Madinia how much his friendship with Prisca means to him. I just melted.
It was unavoidable. They are such gems.
I think what I love most is the fact that their friendship and loyalty to her isn’t merely extended because they know how much she means to Lorian. They formed a true connection with her, and love her like family.
We obviously knew how much they meant to Prisca because we get her point of view all the time. But she naturally cares about everyone on principle. And it makes complete sense for her to love them and be immensely loyal to them.
It just hits different when we see how much they love her back.
I could literally talk forever about all the characters and what I loved about them.
But one of my personal favourites was Zathrian, Prisca’s cousin.
He has been an enemy since we first learned who he was. And he in fact tried to kill her in this book. And yet he fought with her in the end, she showed mercy, because she is simply a good person, and he decided to help her in the hybrid kingdom in the end.
Stacia wrote his character so well in this book.
Now for what I wanted to change, because let’s be honest. There is always something.
The queen. Her point of view has been my least favourite since she first had her own point of view. I thought there would be more to her character in the end, and was disappointed when that wasn’t really the case.
I was disappointed in the way she died.
And yet I sort of liked that everyone didn’t simply get a happy ending. She died being rotten.
But it feels like knowing her character as intimately as we did wasn’t necessary.
The other thing is how Regner died.
I loved everything about the battle and watching it being fought, don’t get me wrong.
But Regner himself was personally present for about one page.
The rest of the battle he was there, but out of sight, hiding behind his shield.
I wanted Prisca and Lorian to face him in an epic battle or something.
Instead, when the moment came, she froze him, stabbed him, and he died.
I also wanted an up and close watch of the battle out at sea with Daharak (did I write that right?).
I loved her since we were first introduced to her, and she suffered heavy losses during the war. And I would have liked to see how they fought Regner’s fleet.
Overall the conclusion was amazing in my opinion. I didn’t necessarily need more from this book than I got despite the things I wrote above.
All the characters grew so much, and all of them fought soo hard.
Now. Is Madinia getting a book? Because I was really looking forward to watching Calysian and her reluctantly fall in love.
And now I’m wondering if he is the Dark God because I think Madinia mentioned something about the power she felt when she opened the book was familiar.
And maybe it feels familiar because Calysian is the owner of the book, and they are mates???
But if he is the dark god, isn’t he supposed to be evil?
But maybe that’s just rumours, and a presumption people made because Regner used the power for evil?? I don’t know.
Calysian definitely seemed interested when he saw her with that book in the end.
And if anyone could ever keep up with a woman like Madinia, it can be nothing less than a god.
Now I don’t have to wonder anymore, cause now I know.
I probably held my breath through the entire book.
And now I don’t know how to breathe again, because holy shit.
Honestly, I don’t even know where to begin.
It was chaotic and yet laid out in a way that made it so easy to follow the chaos.
The plot was going strong through the entire book. There was a mixture of moments where they laughed, where they cried, where they were hopeful, and full of despair.
There was fighting through the whole book, rather than a single battle where everything miraculously came to a happily ever after. And the author took her time showing the aftermath of the fighting, and the tension before. And it just made my adrenaline race.
Prisca stepped up to be a queen, more than before, in this book. I feel like for the first time she wanted to be a queen to her people, not only for them, but for herself as well.
To make her family proud, but also because she believed in herself.
I thought I wouldn’t like seeing her without her powers, mostly because I thought a lot of her inner monologue would be stuck dwelling on it. But she made plans, contributed, and fought just as hard in this book as she did in the other.
And when she had the confrontation with herself, alone, I felt like her character grew even more than before.
Lorian fought his own battles in this book as well. Being confronted with his past and his reputation. I was extremely worried about him for a second, or a few, but naturally the big fae bastard could handle himself in the end.
He also stepped up and was more than just Prisca’s mate and protector against anyone who dared give her a paper cut.
He tried to prove himself to her people, because they were his people too.
And I loved every time we saw him with his brother.
Conreth has grown soo much, and I truly hated him for the brother he had been to Lorian, but he woke up and truly made things right, not just between him and Lorian, but between him and Prisca as well.
Like, I am not a forgiving person, a trait I’m trying to work on, but to me, he was completely redeemed, and I had a huge smile on my face when I read the very end of this book and we saw his life in the epilogue.
Finally, FINALLY, Asinia and Demos got their heads out of their asses and admitted their feelings for each other.
And I laughed when Demos realised Asinia hadn’t run with the others like he had instructed her to do.
Poor naive male thinking she would obey him…
Marth, Rythos and Galon were amazing! I just love them. Give them to me.
When Galon hugged Prisca and said he was proud of her, and Marth had to dry a tear in his eye because he was also proud, not to mention when Rythos told Madinia how much his friendship with Prisca means to him. I just melted.
It was unavoidable. They are such gems.
I think what I love most is the fact that their friendship and loyalty to her isn’t merely extended because they know how much she means to Lorian. They formed a true connection with her, and love her like family.
We obviously knew how much they meant to Prisca because we get her point of view all the time. But she naturally cares about everyone on principle. And it makes complete sense for her to love them and be immensely loyal to them.
It just hits different when we see how much they love her back.
I could literally talk forever about all the characters and what I loved about them.
But one of my personal favourites was Zathrian, Prisca’s cousin.
He has been an enemy since we first learned who he was. And he in fact tried to kill her in this book. And yet he fought with her in the end, she showed mercy, because she is simply a good person, and he decided to help her in the hybrid kingdom in the end.
Stacia wrote his character so well in this book.
Now for what I wanted to change, because let’s be honest. There is always something.
The queen. Her point of view has been my least favourite since she first had her own point of view. I thought there would be more to her character in the end, and was disappointed when that wasn’t really the case.
I was disappointed in the way she died.
And yet I sort of liked that everyone didn’t simply get a happy ending. She died being rotten.
But it feels like knowing her character as intimately as we did wasn’t necessary.
The other thing is how Regner died.
I loved everything about the battle and watching it being fought, don’t get me wrong.
But Regner himself was personally present for about one page.
The rest of the battle he was there, but out of sight, hiding behind his shield.
I wanted Prisca and Lorian to face him in an epic battle or something.
Instead, when the moment came, she froze him, stabbed him, and he died.
I also wanted an up and close watch of the battle out at sea with Daharak (did I write that right?).
I loved her since we were first introduced to her, and she suffered heavy losses during the war. And I would have liked to see how they fought Regner’s fleet.
Overall the conclusion was amazing in my opinion. I didn’t necessarily need more from this book than I got despite the things I wrote above.
All the characters grew so much, and all of them fought soo hard.
Now. Is Madinia getting a book? Because I was really looking forward to watching Calysian and her reluctantly fall in love.
And now I’m wondering if he is the Dark God because I think Madinia mentioned something about the power she felt when she opened the book was familiar.
And maybe it feels familiar because Calysian is the owner of the book, and they are mates???
But if he is the dark god, isn’t he supposed to be evil?
But maybe that’s just rumours, and a presumption people made because Regner used the power for evil?? I don’t know.
Calysian definitely seemed interested when he saw her with that book in the end.
And if anyone could ever keep up with a woman like Madinia, it can be nothing less than a god.
June 20, 2024
5/9/24 Never have I ever wanted an arc so bad before.
5/30/24 LET'S GOOOO IT'S TIME TO FINISH THIS !!!!
6/10/24
It shouldn't have taken me this long to finish reading this book but it did. And actually I skipped to the ending of the book once I hit the 70% mark. I love a good battle with evil to save the hybrids but the battle going on with Prisca and Regena was just a snore. The cliffhanger at the end of book three was great and had me at the tip of my toes. But the solution in the first chapter was just too quick. Or felt like it could have made it into the last book. You spend the majority of this book similar to the previous one, the brink of a battle , a war that everyone wants to be over, the fear of which character might die, and the continued hope that there's an HEA. 70% off a book shouldn't still be about the same plot line. I was hoping things would speed up considering this is most likely the last book of the series.
There's a few spicy scenes that do try and push you to want to read more but they're not something that you haven’t read before. If you can read faster than me and like a good book on wars then read this one to finish up the story on these characters.
June 8, 2024
Unfortunately this book and this series ended on a flop. I actually enjoyed the first book of this series, which lead me to buy the physical copies of books 1-3. Unfortunately, books 2 & 3 went downhill, and this one was the biggest disappointment. Looking back, I should have DNF-ed this series in book 2, but I felt locked in since I spent money to by the books. That being said, I felt the need to order this book to finish the series. I FORCED myself to finish this book and never felt more disappointed. I'm very confused why this series is so highly rated.
1) The characters are one dimensional and forgettable. In this last book, we get five different POVs, Prisca, Lorian, Madinia, the Queen, and Asinia. I felt that Madinia and Asinia's POVs were added purely so we can see other aspects of the battle. Madinia did not grow in the slightest. She's only characterized as angry, unfriendly, and task driven. Asinia's POV felt like a means to poorly develop her relationship with Demos. Overall chemistry between love interests was underdeveloped and lacking,
2) The plot was choppy and uninteresting. The frequent shifts in perspectives disrupted the narrative flow. The plot itself lacked depth, was full of holes, and many elements were brought up and unexplored beyond surface level.
3) The writing is atrocious. I'm honestly not sure why I didn't recognize it in the first book, but I think the book might be the worst. I think 60% of the battle to reading this book was ignoring how terribly immature the writing is. Also, this really gets me, but WHY is everyone always snarling at each other? Someone looks at Prisca the wrong way, and Lorian snarls back at them. Vicer isn't just upset and angry, no he's snarling at people. Maybe someone likes this, not me.
1) The characters are one dimensional and forgettable. In this last book, we get five different POVs, Prisca, Lorian, Madinia, the Queen, and Asinia. I felt that Madinia and Asinia's POVs were added purely so we can see other aspects of the battle. Madinia did not grow in the slightest. She's only characterized as angry, unfriendly, and task driven. Asinia's POV felt like a means to poorly develop her relationship with Demos. Overall chemistry between love interests was underdeveloped and lacking,
2) The plot was choppy and uninteresting. The frequent shifts in perspectives disrupted the narrative flow. The plot itself lacked depth, was full of holes, and many elements were brought up and unexplored beyond surface level.
3) The writing is atrocious. I'm honestly not sure why I didn't recognize it in the first book, but I think the book might be the worst. I think 60% of the battle to reading this book was ignoring how terribly immature the writing is. Also, this really gets me, but WHY is everyone always snarling at each other? Someone looks at Prisca the wrong way, and Lorian snarls back at them. Vicer isn't just upset and angry, no he's snarling at people. Maybe someone likes this, not me.
June 10, 2025
I didn’t read this series, I survived it. 10/10 🥵
Honestly so good. I loved the additional POV’s (minus Kaliera… honestly did not like her from the first book🤣). I enjoyed the whole series but really started to become attached the last two books. Lots of suspense and action and I was thoroughly entertained.
Honestly so good. I loved the additional POV’s (minus Kaliera… honestly did not like her from the first book🤣). I enjoyed the whole series but really started to become attached the last two books. Lots of suspense and action and I was thoroughly entertained.
April 24, 2026
I’m actually pleasantly surprised. Liked all four books very much and plot kept me interested.
"You get to believe anything you want. Why would you choose to believe you will fail?"
Generally, I stay away from romantasy books, as pretty much, 99% of them are unsafe, with basically main plot being a useless love triangles… 🙄
So finding this series is a gem for me!
Prisca, the Hybrid Queen, is now one of my favourite heroines!
She is kind soul, loyal and brave. Beautifully smart, can be vicious and violent when needed and is just as sweetly vulnerable. Just chef’s kiss 🤌
Lorian, the Bloodthirsty Prince, is powerful, wise, intense and intimidating. Deliciously broody and morally grey, but caring to his inner circle.
He's completely smitten, protective and obsessed with his woman, exactly how we love them!! 🙌🙂↕️
My absolute favourite is how Lorian did not discourage her potential and wasn’t controlling. He respects her choices, is patient, boosts her confidence, is fully supportive and proud of Prisca, guiding her when needed with care and love! 😍
"I vow to be the roots that ground you, the branches that help you reach for your dreams, and the shelter that forever keeps you safe. I will love you in every life."
And the letters he wrote to her, when she was abducted, just to stay sane, got me in my feelings 🥹❤️🩹
There’s angst and banter. They drive each other crazy and they're each other’s safe place. You cannot not feel their love for each other, both would do and did everything for each other ❤️🔥
"He stared down at me like he would burn the world for me. What he didn’t seem to understand was that I would do the same for him."
Big props to authors for writing such beautiful characters with depth to them!
Most authors think that strong main characters is just her being bitchy and him being an complete asshole… These MCs were like breath of fresh air to me 😌
Liked complicity of side characters too.
There’s few POVs from them, some interesting, some not.
Oh, did I tear up for Cavis and Sybella, that was truly heartbreaking 💔😭
SAFETY
Completely safe
No OP drama, cheating, sharing.
Little jealousy scenes, as they’re possessive of each other.
h - experienced, she got crush on OM in the village at the start, before meeting H, but her feelings wasn’t anything serious.
H - experienced, there wasn’t many details on his past. On page we met his two past hookups from several decades ago, but he bears them no mind, all his thoughts are about h.
────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────
"Even if the fates hadn’t tied us together, I would have chosen her every day for the rest of my life."
"This is never going to work. You and I. We’re doomed. You know that.”
He sighed, and I closed my eyes, basking in the feel of his breath against my neck. “I know.” He slowly drew back.
“But that doesn’t mean I won’t wish for you with every fucking breath for the rest of my life."
"Don’t cry. Gods, don’t cry.”
She sniffed, glowering up at me. “Why? Are my feelings too much for you?”
“No. Because I want to gut anyone who made you cry. And I don’t want to have to impale myself on my own sword."
"Our story doesn’t end when this life does. You’ll be mine in the next life–and the life after that."
"He leaned closer. "Tell me you want me, so I can tell you how badly I want you too." His gaze dropped to my mouth, and his eyes darkened.
Always with the power games with this man. "Why do I have to say it first?"
He laughed, and my stomach tightened.
"Fine. I want you so badly that I wake up in the middle of the night, a single stroke away from coming. I dream of your face. Especially your mouth. Gods, that smart mouth. You don't want to know the things l've dreamed about doing with your mouth."
"It will take more than a few arrows to kill me.”
“What would it take?” I asked, curious despite myself.
“Given your wicked temper, I think I’ll keep that information to myself, wildcat."
"It will be this way for the rest of our lives,” I vowed.
“You and me, like this, forever. I’ll never let you go, wildcat.”
Her eyes opened to slits, burning with passion.
“You’re mine. And I’m yours. Until the end of time."
"I know what we're about to do. It doesn't change the fact that I want to strip that dress off you and see what I find beneath it."
"You'll find knives," I said, narrowing my eyes at him.
His smile was dark - almost feral. "Wicked women are my weakness."
"You get to believe anything you want. Why would you choose to believe you will fail?"
Generally, I stay away from romantasy books, as pretty much, 99% of them are unsafe, with basically main plot being a useless love triangles… 🙄
So finding this series is a gem for me!
Prisca, the Hybrid Queen, is now one of my favourite heroines!
She is kind soul, loyal and brave. Beautifully smart, can be vicious and violent when needed and is just as sweetly vulnerable. Just chef’s kiss 🤌
Lorian, the Bloodthirsty Prince, is powerful, wise, intense and intimidating. Deliciously broody and morally grey, but caring to his inner circle.
He's completely smitten, protective and obsessed with his woman, exactly how we love them!! 🙌🙂↕️
"I gave her my most charming smile. “I missed you.”
“I was sitting right next to you.”
“You were looking at other people."
My absolute favourite is how Lorian did not discourage her potential and wasn’t controlling. He respects her choices, is patient, boosts her confidence, is fully supportive and proud of Prisca, guiding her when needed with care and love! 😍
"I vow to be the roots that ground you, the branches that help you reach for your dreams, and the shelter that forever keeps you safe. I will love you in every life."
And the letters he wrote to her, when she was abducted, just to stay sane, got me in my feelings 🥹❤️🩹
"Wildcat, I don’t know if you’ll ever see this letter. I don’t know if I’ll ever give it to you. But I spend my days talking to you in my head. By now, I know you well enough to know how you would answer most of my questions. Your quick humor, sarcasm, and the way you occasionally take my breath away with your honesty…
Gods, I miss you."
"Lorian was keeping them for when I’d need them the most. Those letters would be a beacon in my darkest hours. Just as he was."
There’s angst and banter. They drive each other crazy and they're each other’s safe place. You cannot not feel their love for each other, both would do and did everything for each other ❤️🔥
"He stared down at me like he would burn the world for me. What he didn’t seem to understand was that I would do the same for him."
Big props to authors for writing such beautiful characters with depth to them!
"I’ve gone my whole life feeling like I’m holding my breath. Like my lungs are burning. Like I’m desperately fighting for each gasp of air. But when you’re around, I can…breathe. And I’m furious at you, because when that ends…when we’re forced apart, I don’t know how I’ll take a full breath without you."
Most authors think that strong main characters is just her being bitchy and him being an complete asshole… These MCs were like breath of fresh air to me 😌
Liked complicity of side characters too.
There’s few POVs from them, some interesting, some not.
Oh, did I tear up for Cavis and Sybella, that was truly heartbreaking 💔😭
SAFETY
Completely safe
No OP drama, cheating, sharing.
Little jealousy scenes, as they’re possessive of each other.
h - experienced, she got crush on OM in the village at the start, before meeting H, but her feelings wasn’t anything serious.
H - experienced, there wasn’t many details on his past. On page we met his two past hookups from several decades ago, but he bears them no mind, all his thoughts are about h.
────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────
"Even if the fates hadn’t tied us together, I would have chosen her every day for the rest of my life."
"This is never going to work. You and I. We’re doomed. You know that.”
He sighed, and I closed my eyes, basking in the feel of his breath against my neck. “I know.” He slowly drew back.
“But that doesn’t mean I won’t wish for you with every fucking breath for the rest of my life."
"Don’t cry. Gods, don’t cry.”
She sniffed, glowering up at me. “Why? Are my feelings too much for you?”
“No. Because I want to gut anyone who made you cry. And I don’t want to have to impale myself on my own sword."
"Our story doesn’t end when this life does. You’ll be mine in the next life–and the life after that."
"He leaned closer. "Tell me you want me, so I can tell you how badly I want you too." His gaze dropped to my mouth, and his eyes darkened.
Always with the power games with this man. "Why do I have to say it first?"
He laughed, and my stomach tightened.
"Fine. I want you so badly that I wake up in the middle of the night, a single stroke away from coming. I dream of your face. Especially your mouth. Gods, that smart mouth. You don't want to know the things l've dreamed about doing with your mouth."
"It will take more than a few arrows to kill me.”
“What would it take?” I asked, curious despite myself.
“Given your wicked temper, I think I’ll keep that information to myself, wildcat."
"It will be this way for the rest of our lives,” I vowed.
“You and me, like this, forever. I’ll never let you go, wildcat.”
Her eyes opened to slits, burning with passion.
“You’re mine. And I’m yours. Until the end of time."
"I know what we're about to do. It doesn't change the fact that I want to strip that dress off you and see what I find beneath it."
"You'll find knives," I said, narrowing my eyes at him.
His smile was dark - almost feral. "Wicked women are my weakness."
May 13, 2025
A Kingdom of Lies has become my favorite romantasy series! I know that's such a bold claim, but this series was breathtakingly beautiful. The characters will embed themselves into your heart forever, and this story is one that was impossible to put down. If you love fantasy, romantasy, romance, enemies to lovers, and found family, I can’t recommend this final book and series enough!
A Queen This Fierce and Deadly absolutely wrecked me in the best way possible. This story had a wonderful recap and then started exactly where A Crown This Cold and Heavy ended. The perilous moments in this book made my heart race and left me struggling to breathe normally at times! The friendship and love that conquered all, was breathtaking. And the found family will melt your heart. So while bargains were made and trust was put in precarious positions, I was cheering them on every step of the way!
Within those first few pages, I was already crying all of the tears. And I found myself crying so many other times from the beginning to the end. There were tears because I was terrified for who would live and die in this world, especially with the upcoming war. I sobbed tears of relief and joy. And there were also tears from pain because of moments that cut my heart into a million pieces. This book will make you feel everything!
The characters in this story were unforgettable. People’s actions shocked me in the best and worst of ways. So when new light was shown on things, my mouth was on the floor multiple times! We also got answers to unknowns and questions from previous books, and it was beautiful seeing all of the pieces fall into place. But with war on their doorsteps, I loved watching those that were born to be leaders take charge, have clear heads, and rise above it all. I actually clapped my hands out loud so many times. But within these pages there was also so much death and destruction. And the stakes were so high. It all led to heart pounding action that laced throughout these pages!
We got multiple POVs again, and each one had my full attention. My heart would beat faster as we left someone we cared for in a precarious situation! But then that feeling would be back all over again, once we left the next one. There were heartwarming moments that we could breathe and see them enjoying life within that moment. Also there were steamy moments that were sigh worthy and so seductive. This book truly had it all!
I loved A Queen This Fierce and Deadly with my whole heart! It was the most beautiful story of perseverance, friendship and love! With perilous action, spies in the midst, sob worthy sacrifice, heart warming loyalty, beautiful found family, and everlasting love, this series was everything!
Reviews:
Kingdom of Lies:
A Court This Cruel and Lovely #1
A Kingdom This Cursed and Empty #2
A Crown This Cold and Heavy #3
A Queen This Fierce and Deadly #4
Kingdom of Death:
This Vicious Dream #1
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
Spoiler Quotes......
You've been warned....don't click below or else you'll be spoiled ♥......
For more of my reviews, please visit:
Blog * Personal Instagram * Blog Instagram * Facebook * Twitter * Bloglovin * Feedly
“In every life, wildcat. No matter what happens, you hold on to that. It’s you and me in every life.”
A Queen This Fierce and Deadly absolutely wrecked me in the best way possible. This story had a wonderful recap and then started exactly where A Crown This Cold and Heavy ended. The perilous moments in this book made my heart race and left me struggling to breathe normally at times! The friendship and love that conquered all, was breathtaking. And the found family will melt your heart. So while bargains were made and trust was put in precarious positions, I was cheering them on every step of the way!
My rage was endless, as if it might swallow me whole.
Within those first few pages, I was already crying all of the tears. And I found myself crying so many other times from the beginning to the end. There were tears because I was terrified for who would live and die in this world, especially with the upcoming war. I sobbed tears of relief and joy. And there were also tears from pain because of moments that cut my heart into a million pieces. This book will make you feel everything!
Every time I’d escaped certain death, every person I’d killed to save my own life, every near miss and lesson learned…all of them had led up to this.
It was me or him.
The characters in this story were unforgettable. People’s actions shocked me in the best and worst of ways. So when new light was shown on things, my mouth was on the floor multiple times! We also got answers to unknowns and questions from previous books, and it was beautiful seeing all of the pieces fall into place. But with war on their doorsteps, I loved watching those that were born to be leaders take charge, have clear heads, and rise above it all. I actually clapped my hands out loud so many times. But within these pages there was also so much death and destruction. And the stakes were so high. It all led to heart pounding action that laced throughout these pages!
This was all Prisca’s fault.
That bitch got beneath my skin. She made me care .
Now, I would be forced to watch as these people died one by one.
We got multiple POVs again, and each one had my full attention. My heart would beat faster as we left someone we cared for in a precarious situation! But then that feeling would be back all over again, once we left the next one. There were heartwarming moments that we could breathe and see them enjoying life within that moment. Also there were steamy moments that were sigh worthy and so seductive. This book truly had it all!
Whoever said vengeance didn’t help was lying.
I loved A Queen This Fierce and Deadly with my whole heart! It was the most beautiful story of perseverance, friendship and love! With perilous action, spies in the midst, sob worthy sacrifice, heart warming loyalty, beautiful found family, and everlasting love, this series was everything!
Reviews:
Kingdom of Lies:
A Court This Cruel and Lovely #1
A Kingdom This Cursed and Empty #2
A Crown This Cold and Heavy #3
A Queen This Fierce and Deadly #4
Kingdom of Death:
This Vicious Dream #1
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
Spoiler Quotes......
You've been warned....don't click below or else you'll be spoiled ♥......
For more of my reviews, please visit:
Blog * Personal Instagram * Blog Instagram * Facebook * Twitter * Bloglovin * Feedly
July 9, 2025
No comment..
February 25, 2025
2.5⭐️ this had one of my least favorite tropes,
so many new characters
and lorian and his new power-but-not-actually-power in this book? i feel like that left a plot hole bc it just wasn’t mentioned again towards the end, and i really wanted to know what will become of it 😪
i might try this series again in the future, but for now, i guess it just wasn’t what i needed 🤷🏼♀️
March 13, 2025
Beautiful finish to the series. Am not fan of the fact that the war was happening throughout 2 books but what can you do hahah
May 26, 2024
I wish I could give this book 1000 stars. It is a stunningly epic conclusion to the Kingdom of Lies series. I would say I raced through this book but I had to take frequent breaks due to the mass amount of sobbing I did during this book. Happy tears, sad tears, relief tears, heartwarming tears. I've never cried so much in my life, over a book.
Stacia must have poured every ounce of her soul into this book to make me feel the wild array of emotions I did. Each strand of plot was so careful planned out and just when you thought it was all going to fall apart, those strands came into play. It was an absolutely beautiful thing to read.
The character development, the plot development, the spice, the love, the growth and understanding between characters. It was beyond words. I'm well and truly stunned. This series was my favorite before but this book nailed it into my favorites of all time. It was utter perfection.
While I received an arc of this book, that sways zero percent of my opinion except I am truly grateful to have been put out of my misery (after the end of book 3,iykyk)a bit earlier than anticipated. Thank you so much to Stacia and her team for allowing me the chance to read this book.
Stacia must have poured every ounce of her soul into this book to make me feel the wild array of emotions I did. Each strand of plot was so careful planned out and just when you thought it was all going to fall apart, those strands came into play. It was an absolutely beautiful thing to read.
The character development, the plot development, the spice, the love, the growth and understanding between characters. It was beyond words. I'm well and truly stunned. This series was my favorite before but this book nailed it into my favorites of all time. It was utter perfection.
While I received an arc of this book, that sways zero percent of my opinion except I am truly grateful to have been put out of my misery (after the end of book 3,iykyk)a bit earlier than anticipated. Thank you so much to Stacia and her team for allowing me the chance to read this book.
July 4, 2024
I thought this was a fitting ending to the series. It definitely set some characters up for their own stories.The battle scenes were written well, and you could absolutely feel like you were there. I think I realized what was missing for me in parts of the books for me while I was reading this book. The author is great at writing the battle scenes and building that. She is also good at writing the main characters as enemies or at least rivals. What lacks is that transition with tension and flirtation from enemies/opposites to lovers. It is suddenly just there. So without this transition it feels forced. There is some spice in here for folks. I know many recommend this series...I didn't hate it, but would I read it again?...prob not -3.5 stars rounded up
January 4, 2026
I really enjoyed the series, and wanted to love this final installment. I'm not sure if it is because I waited too long to read and therefore wasn't as invested, or the book itself, but I was bored for the large majority of it. There was so much just standing around until the big battle which I found myself zoning out in because I just didn't feel invested.
January 28, 2025
okay I give up, I loved the rest of this series but I've tried to read this book 3 times now and I've gotta tap out. DNF at 40%
There are too many side characters, too many different plots going on, the whole book is hard to follow and it feels like it is taking forever to the plot to get anywhere. I wanted to like this book but I can't 😭
There are too many side characters, too many different plots going on, the whole book is hard to follow and it feels like it is taking forever to the plot to get anywhere. I wanted to like this book but I can't 😭
June 27, 2024
Madinia was here. And she was furious.
That's the single interesting part of this book.
This series derailed so hard. The last ten percent of this book should've just been added to book three because the other 90% was unbearably boring. Too many perspectives, changing so often and wildly unnecessary.
This whole book was just people walking around talking about how effed they were in the war. A really disappointing end. Yet maybe a hint of another book? Or a spinoff series with Calysian and Madinia?
That's the single interesting part of this book.
This series derailed so hard. The last ten percent of this book should've just been added to book three because the other 90% was unbearably boring. Too many perspectives, changing so often and wildly unnecessary.
This whole book was just people walking around talking about how effed they were in the war. A really disappointing end. Yet maybe a hint of another book? Or a spinoff series with Calysian and Madinia?
June 17, 2024
DNF
ENOUGH WITH THE POV CHANGES
One POV per chapter is enough. But it changes POVs after EVERY LITTLE CONVERSATION. Prisca gets news, new POV. Lorian has a thought, new POV. The Queen wants to screw everyone over, new POV. Asinia fails to recognize she has feelings, new POV. Madinia is the only person actually doing anything at the 30% mark and she’s just running through the woods.
I’m so bored. I just can’t push my way through.
ENOUGH WITH THE POV CHANGES
One POV per chapter is enough. But it changes POVs after EVERY LITTLE CONVERSATION. Prisca gets news, new POV. Lorian has a thought, new POV. The Queen wants to screw everyone over, new POV. Asinia fails to recognize she has feelings, new POV. Madinia is the only person actually doing anything at the 30% mark and she’s just running through the woods.
I’m so bored. I just can’t push my way through.
July 5, 2024
2.5
This series was one book too long. With some decent editing of the filler in the previous 3 books, it could've easily been a really good trilogy. Unfortunately, each book in the series is worse than the one before. I enjoyed the 1st book, each book after had more and more filler and became more and more yawn inducing. Okay enough conclusion but I would swear I have read that epic battle somewhere before.
Overall, meh.
This series was one book too long. With some decent editing of the filler in the previous 3 books, it could've easily been a really good trilogy. Unfortunately, each book in the series is worse than the one before. I enjoyed the 1st book, each book after had more and more filler and became more and more yawn inducing. Okay enough conclusion but I would swear I have read that epic battle somewhere before.
Overall, meh.
June 13, 2025
I mostly remember books based on the feelings they give me and this book gave me all of them. I laughed, cried, raged, all of it, and I wouldn’t change a single thing. One of the best series I’ve read this year.
June 16, 2024
********** SPOILERS ALERT***********
"In every life, wildcat. No matter what happens you hold on to that. It's you and me in every life."
I had to take a couple of days before I wrote my review. I am a big SJM fan and stumbled across this series when it popped up in you might be interested section on my Amazon account. I picked up book one and was absolutely sucked in hook, line, and sinker! The characters, world-building, storylines and slow burn had me all in like a kid on a sugar high!
"I vow to be the roots that ground you, the branches that help you reach your dreams, and the shelter that forever keeps you safe. I will love you in every life."
Swooning and fanning myself over the connection between our two main characters. Prisca was the strong female character I was looking for in my next read (you go girl) and then there was Lorian (just saying his name increases the heart rate). I am not sure there are words to describe the book crush I developed for this man or for his band of brothers who took on roles that were key in the success of this series. I can't go too deep here because it just hurts... Cavis 😭 ♥️
Madina and Asinia were also great additions and sidekicks for Prisca in the series. Both became badass bitches and made the three together the Charles Angels of the series. Madinia was the Nesta in this series and the love-hate relationship I had with her only makes me want Stark to write a future for her.
Now on to this specific book in the series... War is not pretty but Stark did a great job painting the heart and horror of it. There were many times when everyone was separated into smaller groups fighting different elements of the war. Characters that didn't have big roles in the story came up big in this last book and helped to turn the tide, but with that turn came some loss. Stark did a good job of making my heart hurt during the goodbyes but yet gave honor to the role those characters played in the end.
"Bravery is a choice. However, you can't wait until the moment you need to be brave to reach for that bravery. Because if you have been purposefully tending to it, building it up, you may find that it is not there when you need it. You must stoke the fires of courage little by little, day by day, so they are burning bright long before you need them."
I loved this series so much and will be rereading it I am sure in the near future.
"A promise that I understood the true weight of this crown. And that I would bear it for my people".
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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