Alexandra ChristoCritiques

Lia is a siren princess trying to live up to her mother's cruel standards. She specialises in killing princes from a variety of kingdoms and is close to her 18 princes but a twist of fate has he kill a fellow siren and her mother transforms her in to a human. Prince Elian rescues her in his pirate ship. He is determined to wipe out Sirens. Her mission is to deliver Prince Elian's heart, but when they meet there's a spark, but if neither of them win, both of them appear to lose. If they can trust each other they might just change the world.
It's an interesting variation on the Little Mermaid story. I enjoyed it.

* I got this book from the publisher and gave it 4.5 stars*
I really enjoyed this book a lot. I thought the plot was mostly very fast pace and engaging. I thought the end of the book had some slow parts but I still really enjoyed it. I thought the character and the world building was the highlights of the books. I really loved the duel POV that was got in the story and loved the morally gray characters that we met. I really loved the siren mythology that we were exposed too. I would def read more by this author in the future. It is the first mermaid/ siren book I read with a strong focus and it made me exited to read more!

* I got this book from the publisher and gave it 4.5 stars*
I really enjoyed this book a lot. I thought the plot was mostly very fast pace and engaging. I thought the end of the book had some slow parts but I still really enjoyed it. I thought the character and the world building was the highlights of the books. I really loved the duel POV that was got in the story and loved the morally gray characters that we met. I really loved the siren mythology that we were exposed too. I would def read more by this author in the future. It is the first mermaid/ siren book I read with a strong focus and it made me exited to read more!

Wrath of the Gods

Alexandra Christo weaves a tale of perilous gods, and monsters in the dark in The Night Hunt. After the brutal death of her parents Atia is left alone, on the run, and hiding who she really is. Atia is a Nefa, a monster who feeds on fear. Thriving on chaos and illusion, hiding in darkness to avoid being noticed by the gods. Atia’s tentative friendship with Sapphir, the rouge vampire, breaks the most important rule. Don’t kill humans. Catching the attention of Silas, a Herald of the dead, who must serve the gods until his fate is decided. Silas wants his freedom, and is more than willing to use Atia to get it. Together they will kill monsters and gods to end their curse.

“You can’t forget yourself if you have a name.”

Atia keeps moving from kingdom to kingdom, hoping to avoid attention from the humans she feeds from. She keeps every part of who she is a secret, trying to protect herself from the pain of her parent’s death. Until she becomes angry, pessimistic, and sarcastic as she protects herself from her own fear. The fear that she really is a monster. Her battle with survivor’s guilt, loneliness, self-esteem, and an unfair world is relatable. Though it is her willingness to stand up and face these struggles that, in the end, make her more than the label “monster”. As well as learning to trust her friends to help her.

“We all have a bit of monster in us. But we all have a bit of something else too.”

Tristan Berrow, the human scholar, and Atia’s friend, brings a more lighthearted perspective in an otherwise sad story. Alexandra Christo shares all the fun monster lore through his curiosity, and fascination with finding the truth. Though Atia knows monsters from experience, she cannot see the wonderful things about herself or others as Tristan does. And yes, they meet a lot of wonderfully dark mythical creatures.

“Find your loophole.”

Silas unlike most Heralds, is aware how long and monotonous his service to the gods is. He wonders who he was before becoming a servant of the gods, to repay misdeeds he cannot remember. He sees Atia as a thrilling opportunity to finally change things. He also sees Atia as the wonderful and rare creature she is. As he tries to show her that her abilities are gifts, not a curse the gods believe they are.

“Where there is darkness, there are also stars.”

Alexandra Christo does a great job introducing interesting characters, with complicated pasts. Though this dark fantasy is still Young Adult, it is somewhat graphic. The enemies-to-lovers romance is not the primary focus of this story, but Atia and Silas make a compelling couple. It is an adventure quest full of monster lore, and dark secrets. As Atia and Silas ask themselves, what being a monster truly means.

Makkelijk om te lezen. Leuk, funny, kleiner zeemeermin vibes. Goeie wereld beschrijving. Niet heel spectaculair maar cute.

The streets of Creije are for the deadly and the dreamers, and four crooks in particular know just how much magic they need up their sleeve to survive.

Tavia, a busker ready to pack up her dark-magic wares and turn her back on Creije for good. She’ll do anything to put her crimes behind her.

Wesley, the closest thing Creije has to a gangster. After growing up on streets hungry enough to swallow the weak whole, he won’t stop until he has brought the entire realm to kneel before him.

Karam, a warrior who spends her days watching over the city’s worst criminals and her nights in the fighting rings, making a deadly name for herself.

And Saxony, a resistance fighter hiding from the very people who destroyed her family, and willing to do whatever it takes to get her revenge.

Everything in their lives is going to plan, until Tavia makes a crucial mistake: she delivers a vial of dark magic—a weapon she didn’t know she had—to someone she cares about, sparking the greatest conflict in decades. Now these four magical outsiders must come together to save their home and the world, before it’s too late. But with enemies at all sides, they can trust nobody. Least of all each other.

The writing wasn’t really doing anything for me
This also felt really young and I just didn’t connect to any of the characters or even the story

My main complaint for this book is that it’s only a stand-alone, I would have loved more books of this. This is the first book I’ve truly sank into in a while, I love the concept, the writing, characters and plot. A refreshing take on a story we could easily have heard a hundred times before, this book exceeded my expectations when the last few hyped up books have just been disappointing, so thank you author! I need more like this :)

Princess of Souls is a great YA fantasy story, full of forbidden magic, witty characters and a huge, detailed world.
I was apprehensive about this book at first, as I didn't enjoy the previous book I read by this author, however I found this to be very engaging and well written.

This book was awesome! I listened to it as an audiobook and was absolutely transported! Both Selestra and Nox were an amazingly strong capable main characters. I appreciated their differenced and how they played off of one another. I found Selestra's adventures outside of the caged world that she had previously know to overthrow the king (and by extension her mother) were particularly interesting. I think this was one of the main reasons I felt that the world building and magic lore was so strong. You got to see everything, basically for the first time through Selestra's eyes. Also just the concept of the Somniatis Witch was really cool. Soul stealers that are revered and feared a pretty dang cool concept if you ask me!
I did have a few minor gripes though and my biggest one was (without spoiling it) how things ended up with her mother. Throughout the book it seems like her mother has an understanding and even regret for what is going on yet in the end that doesn't seem to be as present. If her mother that that her only way out was through *** slight spoiler ***
death than I would have liked that to be more apparent in their conversation.
Also, what happened to the bird? Was it freed?
But aside from those few quibbles I couldn't be happier with my experience reading this book!

Book: Princess of Souls
Author: Alexandra Christo
Genre: Fantasy
Number of Pages: 352
Published: October 11th 2022
Main Characters: Selestra and Nox

I loved the fantasy novel Princess of Souls by Alexandra Christo. It was a great read. I decided to read it because it sounded intresting. I also chose to read this novel because I love retellings. I really love the cover too it's what caught my attention and pulled me in. The book starts off slow but slowly starts to get intresting a couple chapters in. Three important characters in this book are the heir Selestra Somniatis, Seryth king of the Six Isles, sand Officer Nox Laederic of Thánatos regiment. Officer Nox Laederic is the king's favorite. Also King Serth had been trying to conquer Southerisle Polemistes is the only one left not bowing down to king after he killed their king. When Officer Nox goes to make the bargain with the king his prediction shows his and Selestra Somniatis death. I hope you enjoy reading this book I sure did.

Now here's some important quotes from the start of the book so I don't spoil the rest of the book for y'all:

1. "I can tell someone when they're going to die. All I need is a lock of hair and their soul."..."That's the job of a Somiatis Witch."

Thoughts on the quote: This job seems interesting but must be hard

2. "At sixteen, I'm still just an heir to my true power, waiting for the day I inherit my family's magic."

Thoughts on this quote: It must be really hard to wait for your true self to kick in.

3. "Somniatis witches are like siphons. We draw in energy and let it pass through us. Energy like death that we call into our veins and let wet our lips. It's what gives us our visions and allows us to take the soulsof the doomed and pour them into the king.
It's cursed magic but it's the only magic left in the six Isles.
My family saw to that."

This quote is important.

4. "Heirs to magic are useless until they reach their eighteenth birthday and are bound to the king by the blood oath, ready to be taught the true essence of magic and trained to take over once the old witch dies. Until then I am Irrelevant."

Thoughts: It must be hard.

5. "Each year only two hundred are allowed to enter into the bargain and risk their souls."

I really enjoyed reading Princess of Souls a dark YA fantasy very loosely based on the Rapunzel story. The story follows Selestra, a teenage witch, part of a line of witches in thrall to the tyrannical, immortal king Seryth. Her mother foretells deaths and feeds souls to the evil Seryth so that he can maintain his immortality. The story starts with Selestra imprisoned in her castle tower, timid and resigned to her fate forced to serve Seryth once her mother dies.
Then she meets Nox, a soldier in the King's army who is driven to avenge his father who was killed by Seryth. Together Selestra and Nox embark on a journey to destroy the king they despise.
The story was fast paced and full of adventure. I was hooked the entire time and couldn't put the book down. The world building was vivid and immersive. I was intrigued by the dark, horrifying magic system. Selestra and Nox begin their journey as hostile adversaries but united in their dangerous quest, grow to care for one another. I enjoyed following Selestra as she grows fierce and powerful. The side characters Micah and Irenya are also well developed. The witty banter among the foursome is a lot of fun.
Princess of Souls is an imaginative and beautifully written adventurous fantasy. Thank you to BookishFirst for a copy to review.

Princess of Souls by Alexandra Christo is a fascinating Rapunzel adaptation in which the heroine can see someone’s death by touch. That is a rather unfortunate gift to have, and it means Selestra has had an isolated upbringing. The sympathy you feel for her is instantaneous, made more palpable once you understand how cold and unfeeling her mother is. Nox adds a refreshing breath of irreverence, mystery, and thirst for revenge and provides an excellent impetus for Selestra to learn more about her powers.

As much as I love book series, I enjoy a stand-alone every once in a while, and Princess of Souls provides a satisfying arc for Selestra’s story once she starts taking an active interest in her own life. I love Nox, and his scenes are so enjoyable, but I’m glad this is a one-off. Extending it into a second book would have stretched the story too thin. Princess of Souls is excellent as it is, and Selestra is a welcome addition to the list of strong heroines who learn they are even stronger than they ever believed possible.½

Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most—a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever.

The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby—it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good—But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy?

Received a copy via the publisher for a voluntary review.

I’ll always be on the look out for unique tales on the older classic fairytales wether it be super spot on, or a vague line it’s holding of the real tale.
This was a rather enjoyable it didn’t stay major true to the tale of Rapunzel, and I’ve not read any of these other books that are set into the same world but I’ve now marked them to check out to maybe see if it the world cross overs could help a bit for reading this one? It speaks well on its own and is a magical tale but unsure if for reading experience if it’s better with the knowledge from the other series to amplify the story line, characters and the world they are all in.
Plus I’m a sucker for Easter eggs, when an author, game, movie has little bits that transfer over from other works. One of my absolute favorite things ever.

All in al it’s typical young adult, story is unique and actual fun, not spicy but with a tid bit of romance, and I’d definitely recommend and maybe even reread

This book was such a joy to read. Snakes, magic, a warrior princess and a wandering solider. What more could I ask for? I have always loved tales of Rapunzel, and I try to read as many as I can. This was such a fun take on the story itself. Like you can see where it was the Rapunzel story, but you can also see how different it is on its own as well. I did enjoy the character growth and shaping your own future while not becoming the thing you do not want to be just because it is your parents' idea. This book was hard to put down and I wanted to keep reading just to see what would happened next. I did like how it bounced back and forth from the two different perspectives so we could see everything happening from two opposite sides and slowly see them becoming more together with one general motive as the story progressed. I really cannot wait to get more stories from Alexandra Christo, if they are anything like this I will be in for a treat.

Amazing Ride

Immediately from the first page I was invested in this incredible dark fantasy world. Rapunzel is one of my favorite fairy tales and even though I didn't have this in mind while reading this book, maybe the Rapunzel retelling is why I couldn't wait to get back to reading this book every day.

I absolutely loved Selestra and Nox. The chemistry between them felt so natural, so real and often I found myself swooning over their interactions. The banter and sarcasm made me laugh out loud and delight in their relationship. Enemies to more is one of my favorite romance tropes and this one was very well done.

The world building is amazing; I loved the map showing the six isles and the floating mountain is so imaginative. The magic system is well done and never felt unbelievable to me. I enjoyed how Selestra was raised to believe one magic system, but gathered her inner strength to find out the truth when doubts cracked her beliefs.

The pacing of this novel kept me reading and I'm now looking forward to reading more of this author's work.

It was fine, but I found the relationships really lacking.

Annyi ​szívet gyűjtöttem be eddig, ahány éves vagyok.
Vagyis a hálószobámban összesen tizenhét rejtőzik valahol a homok alatt. Olykor-olykor leások, csak hogy lássam, mind megvannak-e még. Lenn a mélyben, vérben ázva. Megszámlálom őket, és megnyugszom, hogy nem lopták el egyiket sem éjszaka. Azon se lepődnék meg, ha így történne. A szíveknek hatalma van, a magamfajták pedig egy dologra vágynak még az óceánnál is jobban: hatalomra.

A HERCEG SZÍVE LENNE AZ IGAZI TRÓFEA!

Lira hercegnő egy királyi családból származó szirén, azok közt is a legveszélyesebb. A víz alatti világban nagy tiszteletnek örvend. Már csak egy szív hiányzik a gyűjteményéből – ám azt elhibázza. Anyja, a Tenger Királynője büntetésből átváltoztatja, mégpedig egy olyan lénnyé, amitől a legjobb undorodik: emberré. Elveszi tőle a bűvös szirénénekkel képességét is, és megparancsolja, hogy a téli napfordulóig vigye el neki Elian herceg szívét, különben ember marad örökre.

Hiába ő a leghatalmasabb emberi királyság trónörököse, Elian herceg csak az óceánon érzi magát igazán otthon. A szirénvadászat pedig a hivatása. Amikor kiment egy lányt az óceán habjaiból, hamar rájön, hogy ő bizony más, mint aminek először hitte. Az idegen megígéri neki, hogy a segítségére lesz, és együtt fogják megtalálni a módját, hogyan pusztítsák el a sziréneket. De vajon megbízhat a lányban? És vajon hány alkuba kell belemennie Elian hercegnek, mire megszabadítja az embereket a legnagyobb ellenségtől?

Kirobbanóan sikeres nemzetközi bestseller, ami Sarah J. Maas és Marissa Meyer sorozataihoz hasonlóan vagány, izgalmas és szemtelen módon dolgoz fel egy klasszikus mesét. (Moly.hu)

After the loss of Wesley and the horrifying reveal that Zekia is helping the Kingpin of her own free will, Tavia, Saxony, and Karam flee to Saxony's home to rebuild their rebellion. Meanwhile, trapped in the Kingpin's darkness, Wesley must fight against the deadly magic that invades his mind and find a way back to his friends before it's too late.

As the Kingpin's dark magic spreads and his army conquers Creije, these four unlikely friends have to decide just how far they’ll go―and how much they are willing to sacrifice―to win.

This was a wonderful book! Alexandera Christo has delivered a stunning magical world full of rich detail, action, betrayal and friendship! The book is written from many POV but I felt like it just added to the adventure! The relationship with each character and also seeing them grow as individuals was a delight! The twists and turns and shocking events are enough to keep anyone on the edge of their seat. Especially with Wesley, talk about a GASP moment! Absolutely didn't see that coming! It was sad to know that this will be the end of these wonderful characters! Happy reading everyone!

Struggled to get through this one. Found I didn’t care about any of the characters.

I probably would have loved it 25 years ago, but at this age it's just...OK. Good on a technical level, but maybe just not what I'm looking for right now.

I loved this book!

The character development as well as the emotions in 'To Kill A Kingdom' was amazing and I fell in love with the story almost instantly after the first few chapters. It's an extraordinary take on a kind of twist of 'The Little Mermaid.' Definitely recommend this book for anyone who enjoys an enemies-to-lovers plot and a different fantasy world full of adventure!

I especially love how it's a dual perspective from the view of the Sea Queen's daughter and a prince from a kingdom of gold. Literally, I can't describe how much I loved this book!!!

This was pretty boring, maybe this AUthor just isn't for me.
I felt no connection to the plot or the characters and skipped some pages.
More to come

Alexandra Christo has the most GORGEOUS prose . Every sentence is like a cake Peeta Mellark personally decorated just for you, complete with dolphin swirls and katniss flowers. But I digress. I adored this book! Told in dual perspectives of a siren, princess daughter of the Sea Witch, and a prince of the kingdom of Midas who hunts sires, this had the great twist of the two main protagonists determined to kill each other, only to slow fall for each other.

The world building was intricate and twisty, with a quest of to an ice kingdom and other players complicating things, and I truly enjoyed the fresh take on this world, which is gritty and very fishy at times! I LOVED all the unique underwater descriptions. Quite a delight if you are a Little Mermaid fan!

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.