The Half King

This was an amazing fantasy read. So many high stakes. A twisting mystery where some answers were more obvious to the reader. And a loyal pup to really bring things together. The found family and friendships were fun. Even the romance had some good parts.But my biggest qualm with the romance is, everything was so sudden and instant with their feelings, especially hers. There felt like it needed more time to establish any form of infatuation. Certainly if she'd just fallen in love, that would have been fine, but to become jealous and territorial so fast into her infatuation? That felt really odd.

“People have done worse things to bury their secrets.”I LOVE how this book is different. Sure, I wasn’t expecting the journey they’d all go on to break the curse that plagues the three different families, but i do love how it is so easily intertwined into the plot without making it seem like it’s just being added for the sake of being added. Cerise, the FMC, is such a different character to ones I have read. She’s not strong, but nor is she weak. And the MMC…he’s different, too. He’s not a fighter that you typically see because of the curse, but he’s not, not a fighter, either. Both of these characters do come to get to know one another as they both try to figure out how to work with one another know that Cerise has taken over a court position at his court. At first it’s frustrating to figure out how the author is going to bring about their love interest because of his courtesan…which i think she made into an intriguing turn of events. And as they travel to find a way to break the curse…everything is so effortlessly done that nothing really feels like it’s being forced or brought in for the sake of being brought in. But what I love most about this book isn’t the romance between the two characters, or their development and hope of being able to break the curse…but the mystery that surrounds each of the characters and the little trust that the two MC have for Father Padron and the Priests. And the ending! My god, the ending was so good that even I didn’t see it coming. The secrets that are revealed…the history that is explained not only of the past of how the three families became cursed, but of the secret past of Cerise’s that even she’s not aware about. All of it is just so different. Event the world is different—but the one thing I do wish was a little different is seeing the world a little more.I’m hoping there’s going to be a second book.