Book Title: Princess of Souls
Author: Alexandra Christo
Genre: Fantasy, Retelling (ish)
Target Audience: Young Adult
Publication date: October 10th 2022
Format: Kindle
What it’s about
Return to the world of TO KILL A KINGDOM for a brand-new fantasy adventure about a young witch groomed to steal souls for an immortal king and the reckless, rebellious boy to whom her fate is tied.
For sixteen years, Selestra has been trapped in her tower on the Floating Mountain, preparing to take her mother’s place as the King’s Witch, who foretells deaths in the Festival of Predictions. Outrunning your fate earns a wish and the chance to steal the King’s immortality. But die and your soul is forfeit. And though thousands have tried, nobody has ever beaten death.
A soldier in the King’s army, Nox is an unlikely candidate for the Festival, but, driven by revenge, he is determined to steal the King’s immortality and kill the entirety of his court, starting with Selestra.
Yet when Selestra touches Nox in her very first prediction, their fates become entwined, and death seeks to take both their souls. Only by working together can they survive long enough to escape the dark fate and the immortal King that now hunts them.
A feast of storytelling, featuring breathtaking journeys, nail-biting battles and powerful magic.
About the Author
Alexandra Christo is a British author whose characters are always funnier and far more deadly than she is. She studied Creative Writing at university and graduated with the desire to never stop letting her imagination run wild. She currently lives in Hertfordshire with a rapidly growing garden and a never-ending stack of books. Her debut novel To Kill a Kingdom is an international bestseller and her Young Adult fantasy books have been translated into over a dozen languages worldwide.
What I thought
Thank you, NetGalley and Hot Key Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
First I will add that I enjoyed To Kill A Kingdom and when I found out this book was set in the same world as the first I was intrigued. Not that it takes a lot to do that with a book.
Before reading this I saw this a couple of times on Social Media where it was referred to as a retelling. I would like to say I assumed that this retelling of a fairytale would be similar to how Cristo wrote To Kill a Kingdom. Now where Selestra had long hair and was in a tower for a bit it was a loose retelling in my opinion.
Selestra is a witch in training to the King and her powers wont come in until her mother (the current witch) passes which is why she is unfortunately locked in a tower. She also has a head of moss green hair and painted a picture that would resemble what I would say is Rapunzel.
Nox has come to the King to try his luck at the festival of predictions and it is there where Selestra’s life changes beyond her wildest imagination.
Where Selestra and Nox started out with a little animosity their witty back-and-forth banter kept me invested in them as a couple. They were an interesting pairing and kept me entertained and made me want to continue with the story as I wanted to see where their adventures would lead them.
This book was fast-paced and an enjoyable read. It is one I would certainly come back to.
Star rating
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