The premise of this novel is both refreshingly original and simple - written from the viewpoints of a prince and a siren, who would both quite like to kill each other. This should make for a lot of tension. However, though each character will often tell you how dangerous and deadly they are, they really don't come across this way. Elian doesn't realise that the mysterious girl who just randomly appeared in the ocean is Lira, really? I mean, really? Is the most deadly pirate in all of the one hundred kingdoms really that dumb? The other issue I have is the ending. Everyone is happy. And that made it unsatisfying.

This was a really enjoyable read which I thought was a really interesting take on The Little Mermaid. I loved the storyline but thought that the love was a bit insta lovish for me, but I loved Lira - she was perfectly dark and creepy. The beginning chapter was without a doubt one of the most intriguing I have read.

To Kill a Kingdom Flooded My Senses

*Received this book off Netgalley in exchange for an honest review- but the gushing you’re about to see is all me*

Like a lot of my ARC reviews at the moment, this is a little overdue- but there’s a good reason for it! Namely, I’m floundering about, struggling to find the words for how good this was. Because how on earth do you fully express your love for books that truly capture your heart?

I knew from the first line that I was falling under its spell. From the opening, I was sucked in to the evocative world under the sea Christo had created. Vividly depicted and with a striking tone, I realised straightaway that this was my kind of book. The writing was a showstopper from the start, making me chuckle darkly all the way through and catch my breath at every gorgeous turn of phrase.

Above all, the characterisation was struck through the powerful voices of the two leads. They gripped me, like sirens, dragging me down into the depths. I adored both of the main characters and soon recognised the brilliance of the dual perspectives. Lira was clever and deadly; Prince Elian, for all his sharp edges, was a sweetheart. Their back and forth banter blew me away and I nearly keeled over from how adorable their budding relationship was.

As a retelling of the Little Mermaid (incidentally one of my faves by my favourite fairy tale writer) I had both high expectations for this and also hoped for little more than a fun romp… this completely blasted those presuppositions out of the water. The plot was so much more twisted and surprising than I ever would have thought. It had a wicked premise, was all the more romantic and the evil sea witch was, well, PURE EVIL. Plus it had more pirates (yay pirates!)

pirate orangutan

One last way this slayed me was with its mesmerising world building. Both above and below the surface, it was detailed and intricately drawn. I don’t normally find asides interesting, but here they were fascinating. All the snippets of information had me hungering for more. I also appreciated the storytelling theme, like the hidden nuggets pointing to the Midas myth and the textured references to the original story. I especially liked the underlying musical theme, which reminded me of the Disney version. Obviously, this was thanks to the very tight, magnificent writing.

Rating: 5/5 bananas

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39070569-to-kill-a-kingdom

*arc received in exchange for a free review*

I loved this re-telling. It kept me guessing until the end and I loved it. The sarcasm, the witty banter and all the characters and their growth. Do yourself a favour and read it!!

Released March 6th, Alexandra Christo’s To Kill A Kingdom is the debut novel all fantasy fans need. A book of Sirens, intrigue, a little romance and brilliant character growth, this book has it all.

I was super excited for this book. Full of some of my favourite mythical creatures, Sirens and Mermaids, I was sold from the get-go. Hearing this referred to as a The Little Mermaid retelling with a twist, I was a little dubious. There were so many ways this could go wrong, however I couldn’t wait to see what Alexandra Christo did with it.

This book appears to be everywhere at the moment, as other book lovers appear to have been just as excited as I was to finally start getting books based on such an under used mythology. In my personal opinion, there has been a major lack of such in the Young Adult and Fantasy markets.

The cover of this book is beautiful. The colour scheme, blues and bronzes, work so well with the font and tentacles that adorn the front of the book. This is one of those covers that try to catch your eye ‘just right’, not trying to hard, but not being bland.

The plot sounded great. A Siren banished unless she steals the heart of the prince. A Prince who is more at home in the sea, a known Siren hunter, who is after one in particular ‘The Prince’s Bane’. Just this alone would have made me want to buy this book, but To Kill A Kingdom is so much more than that.

This reads like a Young Adult Fantasy book. There is just a kind of ‘flow’ to it that makes it read like so many other books I’ve devoured and loved out there. Yet, Alexandra Christo has a wonderful prose that pushes you to want to read more. It is easy to read, and allows you to fly through it in no time. As a standalone book, it wraps up really well. Leaves you wanting to know more about the world, yet answers most, if not all questions you might have whilst reading To Kill A Kingdom.

Some parts of this book were a little slow, but they made for a nice break between the chunks of action. Allowing the story to move along, but allowing you to breath whilst taking everything that happened in.

The characters are well put together and fleshed out. There is so much history to each and every character that I’d love to see novellas telling us more. Lira and Elian are two sides of the same coin. Royally born, out on quests, it’s no wonder that they’re drawn together. Lyra is fierce and knows what she wants. Elian is the same, but he knows how to get it, even if making sacrifices on the way. I loved that there was a slow-burn romance in this book. Each of the characters and their choices were so believable I loved being able to guess what they might do next. I felt like I myself, were a part of Elian’s crew.

This book was so much fun and I have loved being on this journey and watching the character grow so much. I felt this book was a great read.

The characters are fantastic takes on the originals, and truly make this retelling the dark beauty that it is. However the world building is a little limited and the romance felt rather lacking in places. Overall a fun read.

"Heirs were easy things to make, and my mother was the Sea Queen first and nothing second"

* * * *
4 / 5

To Kill A Kingdom absolutely lived up to the hype - and I'm not even fond of The Little Mermaid! Ocean inspired fantasy novels are typically not my cup of tea at all, but with all the buzz, I couldn't help but try this one up. It was absolutely a lesson in stepping (or reading) outside of my comfort zone from time to time, because this novel is a gem!

"So may hearts. You'll soon run out of room to bury them all." I lick my lips. "Maybe," I say. "But a princess must have her prince"

Loosely based on The Little Mermaid, To Kill a Kingdom pumps up the volume with a load of viciousness. Princess Lira is a siren, a part-human and absolutely monster mix that sings men to their deaths. She's vicious and unforgiving and I loved her. When a mix of events culminates in her killing one of their own, Lira is turned human by her mother, the Sea Queen. On the other tide, Prince Elian loves the sea and murdering the sirens that hunt his people. Putting aside his princely duties, Elian captains a ship and a crew that adores him. I reckon the best thing about this book is the way you really get both of their cultures - one moment I was rooting for Lira standing up to her mother, keeping the hearts of princes under her bed, and the next page I was grieving for those Elian had lost to the sea and her monsters.

"I know that I should tell him that it's the land that steals away who I am and the sea that brings me back"

When Elian pulls Lira out of the sea, he doesn't quite trust her. I was really interested to find out how Christo would write the whole "I'm your enemy and I need your heart" to "You are the human love of my life" thing, and I was not disappointed. There's lots of sass, lots of wit, and lots of angst, but none of it feels overdone. Again, I loved the POV swapping, as we see how each characters see the other, flipping from hero to villain, murderous to suspicious with each chapter (although my copy didn't have chapter headings, so sometimes it was like woah what's going on here).

So, why not five stars? I've sung this book's praises, but I have this odd sense of uncertainty throughout the book that made me feel a bit uncomfortable. I was never quite sure where the plot was going - I expected some sort of war theme, or diplomatic ideas themed with sword fighting, but instead we got some sort of jewellery and teleporting weirdness. Then there was the interactions between Lira and Elian - at times it was definitely awesome - but there was this rushed and awkward (and not in the cute way) romance. I wasn't really digging it.

To Kill a Kingdom was an amazing retelling that I think actually improved on the Disney film. Packed full of violence and myth and treachery and witty banter, this is definitely one to give a shot!

Unfortunately I just can't force myself to get through the whole of this book. I tried, I really did. It's everything I should want in a book! But the characters are annoying and boring and whiny and the POV switch was frustrating. DNF at around 33%. So sad.

Another late nighter. This was one I really wanted to read and I was psyched when I got it. Nothing starts a story off better than I collect hearts. A vicious siren and a prince who prefers being a pirate. For me this story had everything and I was hooked from the start (probably going to be sleeping at my desk tomorrow).

I adored both Lira and Elian, the dynamics of their relationship had me grinning from ear to ear, it was just so fluid, you could picture them flirting in a kiss or kill way. The support characters Kye and his partner complimented them so well.

From beginning to end the story stayed strong. Last laugh would be at the beginning of the acknowledgments. I’m a little upset it’s over and will definitely buy the book to read again. Well worth the read.

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.



★★★★★ 4.5/5



I don’t know where to start, from how this is a book I’ve been waiting absolutely forever for and didn’t realise it, to how it did not for one second let me down?

Lira is a siren and the Sea Queen’s daughter, raised to be a ruthless and cold killer, given the name Prince’s Bane for the hearts of the human prince’s she takes, she wants nothing more than to please her mother.

Prince Elian of Midasan wants nothing more than to travel the seas and kill sirens, known as the Siren Hunter, ridding the seas of the monsters is what calls to him, rather than taking the throne waiting for him back home.

When Lira disobeys her mother and is turned into a human by her as a cruel punishment, Lira has to bring back Elian’s heart or face her mother’s wrath. Knowing what she must do and finding a way to do it, Lira must hide who she truly is and gain Elian and his crew’s trust, using their new adventure to her gain and discovering more about the humans she despises.

The Little Mermaid was always my favourite (alongside Cinderella) as a kid, and to read a well done retelling, you have no idea how loud I squealed. It had everything. A siren who was ruthless, a prince who refused to settle, a crew who were loyal and believed in their captain, and a good storyline that didn’t drag. What more could you ask for?

Definitely one for my favourites shelf, and one I bought so I have a physical copy because I loved it so much. This is definitely a favourite of 2018 and no doubt it’ll remain securely in my top five by the end of the year.



Did I like the book? Yes

Did I love it? Yes

Would I recommend it? Yes! If sirens, pirates, betrayal and good old retellings are your favourite, read it.

If you know me, you would know that I am an absolute sucker for Fairy tale retellings.

This wonderful book is the retelling of the little mermaid, but instead of mermaids, our main girl is a Siren. I really enjoyed reading this book and I am very glad it is not following that dreadful trilogy trend

I really enjoyed this retelling of the classic Little Mermaid story but with deadly sirens instead of the 'peaceful' mermaids. What I also loved very much was that this book was a standalone, though sometimes it felt like the worldbuilding was a bit info-dumpy, and I definitely missed a map at the beginning of the book. The two main characters were great and even if there wasn't an indication of whose POV it was, I could easily spot whose POV we were reading from with the first couple of sentences. Definitely recommend this for people who loved The Little Mermaid and who love retellings in general!

3.75-4 stars.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Bonnier Zaffre for providing me with access to a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. What a compelling read! I haven't read a Little Mermaid retelling and, thanks to this novel, I will be looking for more of that in the future.

"the light does things. Unexplainable things. The light can lie."

To Kill A Kingdom is a fantasy book told through two points of view, Lira's, princess of the ocean, and Elian's, prince of the kingdom of Midas, one of the 100 kingdoms in this fantasy world. Truthfully, the first third of this novel was so enticing, that it captured my interest and kept me hooked, but that's about how much of the plot I couldn't predict, and that's because I like to go into books almost blind. Other than that, I could quite see the direction the storyline would take, but that did not waver my interest in the story at all, since the writing style and the exploration of the world building kept my interest piqued all the way to the end.

"It's a key part of my image: never upset or angrey or deterred. Always in charge of my own life and destiny."

In this book, we have two protagonists brought together under circumstances neither of them could predict and their interaction is as surprising as it is intriguing, in a way that brings out their similarities, yet points out their different characters. They are both heirs to a throne, both feeling supressed and being forced to do things that are associated with royalty, because they have to keep up pretences, both finding their freedom in the ocean. Nevertheless, Lira is a lot more true to her internal voice and her spoken words and actions, being raised a savage by a mother that is portrayed as a vicious ruler and taught that being cruel, heartless and void of any emotional attachment is the only way to be, the right way to behave and feel, which is where her arrogance and her ability to always speak her mind, stems from. Still we see a lot more character growth from her while she is making an effort to find her identity, realise her true purpose and learn what is, in fact, deemed strength and weakness. Elian, on the other hand, feels a great weight on his shoulders and his burden seems to be tearing him in two, which is reflected in the different aspects of himself he reveals when speaking to people of his social circle, his crew, or anybody outside it. Though he is sometimes as conceited as you would expect a prince of a powerful kingdom to be, there is a a marginal difference between what he thinks and what he says. He is not as sure and confident as he thinks, or hopes for that matter, and he always feels like he has to put on a façade, for fear that somebody will discover his true self, will see right through the image that he chooses to project and make out the person that he really is, a human with all the shortcomings that come with that.

"Some people burn so brightly, it's impossible to put the flames out."

The intertwining of the two points of view was a bit confusing at first, because there was a change in perspective every other chapter or two without being stated so in the beginning of each chapter, but soon enough I was able to distinguish between the two voices, and that speaks volumes of the author’s ability to create and develop such similar yet distinct voices. I appreciated that part especially because when reading a book with multiple points of view, the voices often sound interchangeable, like it’s the same person speaking. This is very much a character based novel, and the dialogue is scarce and meaningful. Therefore, when the characters talk to each other, whether to tease, exchange information or provoke one another, there’s always a layer, giving the impression that one has to read between the lines, which is one of the charasteristics of this writing style that I particularly loved. The descriptions were lavish enough to engulf me in the world without being too extravagant or tiring. I would love to get to know more about this fantasy world, but since this was a standalone, it makes sense that a lot is left undiscovered.

"The truth of what I am has become a nighmare."

Whilst I immensely enjoyed this book, there were a few things that left me wanting. There were times when I felt that the book was a little repetitive, particularly when reading from Elian’s point of view, as if his struggle had to be said time and time again. Furthermore, I would appreciate it if the frienships were explored a little deeper, since the secondary characters seemed to have interesting qualities, but sometimes fell flat, so as not to take the focus off the two main characters. I also wanted to know more about the mother-daughter relationship between Lira and the Sea Queen. I felt like there were a lot of stories to be told there, a lot of circumstances that would further explain Lira’s behaviour and why she would view her mother as a creature with no redeeming qualities. I also thought the ending came a bit too abruptly for my liking. I personally did not see any plotholes, it just seemed that all loose ends were tied a bit too easily. FInally, there was a lot of Greek in the world building and the languages used, and since it is my mother tongue the obvious mistakes put me off. In my opinion, there was not a lot of research done on that part, making the Greek-lish a bit ludicrous, so there was not enough attention paid to that.

"There's nothing in the world but pain and the rare moments that exist in between."

All in all, I would not only recommend this book, but would also love to see more from this world and this author, with the few elements that I did not really like being fixed. I fell in love with the writing style and think that this book could satify both a fantasy newbie and an experienced reader of the genre.

Here is my review system in short:
Plot: 3
Originality: 3
Sense: 3.5
Value: 4
Enjoyment: 4.5
Characters: 4.5
Total: 3.75

Sort of a backwards Little Mermaid, but our protagonist is a siren, more villain than hero and want's to take the prince's heart literally, cause humans are prey. With a prince that's a pirate, a "mermaid" that's a killer and a relentlessly evil "Ursula", it is deliciously dark and beyond inventive. A love story? No, this is a hate (?) story.

With the POVs of characters destined to be enemies, I really enjoy it when they are the kind you are not "supposed" to root for, but you do. I think the story makes it difficult to pick just one side. Also the antagonism between the charming, brave Elian, and the spiteful and still deadly as a human Lira, is fun. Each POV is equally alluring, each protagonist's will seemingly unbending, but end up more malleable & unpredictable than anticipated. Especially in a situation that seems to have turned impossible.

The writing is best described by a phrase from the book:"Zaps like lightning that shoots through my veins" Embracing a lyrical feel as it instigates danger, adventure & so many twists, that you just can't put it down.

Being Greek, I smiled with the cunning use of words from my language as countries, the siren language Psariin etc.

A tale that reminds you to be true to yourself, even if what that truth is may surprise you!

Lira is a siren, daughter of the Sea Queen and known across the seas as the Prince's Bane; she has seventeen of their hearts buried on the ocean floor. Elian, prince of the Kingdom of Midas, hunts sirens in order to satisfy his desire for adventure, for revenge and to avoid his responsibilities.

This book was an engaging and darker take on the standard Little Mermaid story. The story became a little hazy and muddled in the middle, and it was confusing to have the story told from the first person point of view of both of the main characters (especially as they had very similar voices). But it was a very satisfying fantasy adventure with a really engaging concept for a fantasy world.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bonnier Zaffre for giving me this book to review

To Kill a Kingdom is a really enjoyable dark fantasy book which is kind of a retelling of little mermaid. If you love action, morally grey characters, witty banter and a complex and slow burn romance then this is the book for you. It had really good world building and an imaginative world on which I would like to explore.

Lira is a badass character who can come across as emotionless and cold-hearted, but this is because of the Siren culture and her mother’s emotional abuse. Elian is an adventurous spirit, who is sassy and scheming, and while he is not that innocent, he does have a strong moral compass.

I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to seeing what Christo does next. I would recommend To Kill a Kingdom to fans of the Shades of Magic series and the Grishaverse series.

This was one of the best retellings I've read in a long time. Action-packed and full of witty dialogue, To Kill A Kingdom captivated me from the first chapter. The characters were distinctive and likable, and the main protagonists all developed in different ways throughout the story. The plot was tightly-woven and kept me turning page after page; Alexandra Christo really knows how to throw in a curveball at just the right moment. I'm a sucker for the enemies-to-lovers trope too, and this book did it so well, avoiding all the usual pitfalls and clichés. My only criticism is that I would have liked to see more diversity in the characters and their cultures.

As if a retelling of The Little Mermaid would be released and I wouldn’t read it. AS. IF.

Disney’s The Little Mermaid was one of my favourite films growing up and still is today, so you can imagine my excitement when I saw I’d been accepted to receive a review copy of To Kill a Kingdom. I don’t know if this retelling has already been “done” in YA literature, but it is the first one I’ve heard of, and I was interested to find out how it had been adapted.

To be honest, I think it’s a good YA book, especially for a debut novel. It has everything you expect from this kind of book - kickass characters, a daring adventure, plot twists that keep you guessing - I could go on. The point I’m trying to make is that although it’s a good read, for me it’s not outstanding. Although you can tell that a lot of thought and passion has gone into the writing, it lacks a certain depth for me that I need to find it enjoyable, so the ending just fell flat - we’d spent the whole book building up to this big reveal, this massive battle, and it flatlined completely.

I’m caught between 2 and 3 stars at this point. 2 because it’s not as good as I thought it would be, and it fell into quite a few common pitfalls of the genre. 3, because I think the reason I didn’t like it is mostly down to my own preference - I generally don’t enjoy YA as much as I used to, and I guess part of me doesn’t want to give such a low score for something that is, realistically, a good book for a lot of people out there.

We open with Lira doing what she does best.....getting the hearts of human royalty.

Then we are introduced to Prince Elian the siren killer (yes I pictured him as Prince Eric!) He has the most wonderful bond with his crew and family and I loved reading about them, especially his sister, Amara and Madrid.

Then we get their tale. A story of different cultures, old ways and rules and ultimately, learning to trust, change and love.

I did find the build up a bit slow but guess it was needed to set the scene. Then at 50% it exploded! I found myself glued, snatching moments to read just 1 more chapter whilst lifeing! It absolutely blew me away! Elian and Lira own my heart and I was cheering for them with everything I had.

Before reading this book, I didn't realise it was a re-telling and it was only when I started to read it that I realised it was based on The Little Mermaid.

I'm really glad I found out this way because The Little Mermaid is one of my least favourite fairy tales.

Thankfully, the author of this book is completely awesome and has taken everything I hated about the Disney version and made it completely badass! No longer is Ariel a spoilt, vapid princess willing to give up her voice and her life for a man she just met!! No longer is Eric just a pretty boy with a lot of money. They both have pasts, they both have passion and fire, they both have strength and courage. It's no longer a story of insta-love based on appearance alone. This story has depth and I can't get enough!

The characters in this book are complex, they have back-stories and they develop over the course of the book, taking you along on this fantastical journey of mythology, magic, friendship, hatred and love.

Without giving too much away, I absolutely love the spin on the villain(s) of this story.

I love the sarcastic, snarky, spunky and diverse characters found throughout. I love the plotting and world building.

To sum up this book for me, it's like The Little Mermaid meets Six of Crows and Pirates of the Carribean! It's definitely one of the better re-tellings I've had the pleasure of reading and I'd highly recommend it!

4.5 fin-tastic stars!