Thank you so much to Penguin Teen for the advanced copy!! I really enjoyed The Kinder Poison, so I was extremely happy to get to continue on. And that’s exactly what this book does, it continues on right where we left off from the first book. Jet is about to be crowned but than Kasta comes back from the dead and calamine he has the mark of the Gods and that he’s the rightful heir.. but so does Zahru. She also has the mark and since they both prove to be real, there’s only one simple answer.. they both get to rule! But as we learned from the first book, no one wants Kasta to rule. He’ll destroy the very fabric of the universe. With war!! Can Jet and Zahru stop that from happening?

I loved this book probably more than the first. Usually second books are hit or miss for me and this one delivered! There’s more action and romance and I kid you not, I laughed! The banter between the trio is never ending. You have side characters that make a well balanced book and some morally grey ones that add just a bit more spice. I really love that we pick up right where it left off and that we get set upon another adventure.

If you love high stake fantasy’s than I say this series is for you. It’s real easy to follow along and the works building and characters make it much more enjoyable!!

Thank you Netgalley, PenguinTeen and Razorbill for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

TW: violence, death, mentions of parental death, mentions of child neglect/emotional abuse
Rep: LGBTQ+ (side characters), racial diversity

I’m going to start by saying I wholeheartedly believed this was a duology, so you can imagine my confusion as I was reading and realized that there were still a lot of loose ends. Now, I thought the The Kinder Poison was a fun, quick read, but it didn’t really bring anything new to the table. I’d have to say that I felt similarly about The Cruelest Mercy, except some of the elements I actually enjoyed in book one were withered away here.

Truthfully, I was annoyed by a majority of this book - however, I do believe this was the author’s intent, so she actually did a good job writing the story. Zahru has a pretty major character shift, which ultimately is understandable as she is recovering from trauma. I did observe the lack of trauma attention in this book. We as the reader see how Zahru is coping, but no one around her really mentions it or checks in, besides to simply state “you’ve been through a lot.” This felt off. I actually had a lot of complaints with how the side characters were portrayed in this one. Especially considering Zahru’s friends and family are not very present in this book at all. I understand that part of this is because Zahru has pushed people away, but it felt really out of character for the others to not reach out and push and challenge her. There was a single attempt to aid her, however it was so lackluster and watered down it hardly counts. People were passively aggressively reacting to her but it was not helpful in the slightest.

I know there is a whole Team Jet versus Team Kasta conversation, which I am very neutral on. Katsa is probably one of the most interesting characters of the series, and although Zahru is our main protagonist and narrator, this also very much feels like Katsa’s story as well. I mean their fates are interwoven at this point. It feels like Jet is the obvious choice, the safe, good choice, but I believe he has a weak resolve and cowers away from confrontation. He really disappointed me in this novel, because he felt like, in many ways, he simply gave up. It felt out of character and unjustified. Kasta is always a question, making both Zahru and the reader unsure of his motives and leads one to question their own truths. There is so much to reconcile about this character, because he is past the point of being morally grey, but you can also understand his logic and his twisted manner of thinking.

What I Enjoyed:
1. Zahru came across as a semi-unreliable narrator, which created a lot of moments for me to ponder and try to piece together the truth.
2. Harsh experiences in life can leave lasting effects, Zahru does not come out unscathed. While I did not enjoy many of her choices, they made sense with her how she now viewed herself and others.
3. Several questions from The Kinder Poison are answered.
4. The romantic moments were not forced and were few, and far-between. I know many people will be disappointed by the reduction in romance, but forcing a romance with everything that was going on would have felt inauthentic to the storyline and the characters.
5. Similarly, to The Kinder Poison, the epilogue is engaging and leaves you curious for the next book.

What I Disliked:
1.Slow plot progression, we were primarily just in Zahru’s head and getting a new character study on her for about 80% of the novel. There was not a lot happening, just showing new dynamics. I don’t necessarily want to say this has middle book syndrome, because I see what the author was trying to do. However, she lingered too long in certain areas and didn’t explore others enough.
2. Unjustified characterization changes - why were Zahru’s friends giving countless furtive looks, but could never open their mouths and vocalize their true thoughts? They were not the outspoken, present bunch we have come to know. I say that it's unjustified because we get no real reason for why they act the way we do. We get some explanation for Jet, but as I stated it felt out of character making his actions feel questionable.
3. A few check-ins with characters that did not lead to anything, perhaps this will be explored in the third book?

This review has been taken (and edited slightly) from my blog post, which can be found here: https://princessofink.wordpress.com/2021/05/17/review-the-cruelest-mercy-by-natalie-mae/

There are some books, I find, that simply demand to be talked about in full detail, spoilers aplenty. Unfortunately, The Cruelest Mercy seems to be one of them, and so writing this review is likely to be harder than I originally anticipated and may not convey just how much I loved it. I finished it in little over 24 hours though, so I really did love it.

I had no idea what to expect going into The Cruelest Mercy, having very few theories prior to starting it, but was equally delighted and shocked with all the twists and turns. I had to be forced to put this book down – it was that good (though I’d hope given how much amazing The Kinder Poison was, that isn’t a surprise to anyone?)!

The Cruelest Mercy begins around a month after the end of The Kinder Poison: Jet has been crowned Dommel (Crown Prince), and after spending time apart, Zahru isn’t sure of their relationship status anymore. Sakira and her team are still missing, Kasta is presumed dead, and no one knows about Maia’s death. Things seem to be looking up for Zahru when Jet awards her a position on his advisory team, but quickly go south again when Kasta returns, gatecrashing Jet’s coronation, announcing he has Numet’s mark – the sign he’s the victor of the Crossing. As luck would have it, Zahru has this mark too, and the Mestrah proclaims the pair must rule together.

Returning to these characters was no doubt my favourite part of reading The Cruelest Mercy. Being back in Zahru’s head was such a joy, thanks to Natalie Mae’s comical writing and Zahru’s constant overthinking. If I had to pinpoint a single favourite thing about this sequel (which would be very hard, because I love ALL of it!), it would be her character arc. Zahru’s journey throughout this book is hinted at in the summary, but seeing it realised on the page is another thing entirely – experiencing her struggle, with realising just how far she’s willing to go to stop Kasta becoming Mestrah and watching others around her react to that, was almost indescribable (in the absolute best of ways!). From the first page of the first book to the last page of this one, Zahru develops from a naïve girl with a strong sense of right and wrong, to a wiser, more worldly individual, who understands that both people and the world around her isn’t as black and white as she might like to hope, and that the right choice to make isn’t always the easy or the most ideal one; it’s a choice I really commend Mae for making, and one that makes me love Zahru (and this series) even more.

As a proud Kastazahru shipper, I of course can’t talk about Zahru without discussing her equally devious, handsome love interest… the one and only Kasta. If I had to describe this entire book with one word, it would be ‘subterfuge’. There’s a lot of scheming happening, both on Zahru and Kasta’s part as they continually attempt to undermine the other and have their way. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot I can say about Kasta without spoiling… pretty much the entire plot… but I can tell you there’s a lotttt of tension between the two of them and if you’re a Kasta fan, you’re going to be happy with, well, pretty much everything you read.

Understandably, for Plot Reasons, characters who had more page-time in the first book are less present here. Jet starts off sharing the spotlight, as Dommel, but fades to a supporting character once his superior half-brother Kasta makes an appearance. I enjoyed the page-time he got though, and he still has a role of note in the story, so Jet fans shouldn’t cancel their preorders just yet (or… at all). Jet’s companions, Marcus and Melia, only have cameos this time around, serving as a reminder to both Zahru and the reader of the relative simplicity of the Crossing compared to the challenges Zahru faces now. One character I was surprised to see make a comeback, though, was Hen! Oftentimes, characters from the protagonist’s old life are left to fade into memory, but of course that wouldn’t do for our favourite gossip and Original Designer of Lotus Boots (damn you, Galena!). Hen provides some much-needed comic relief and keeps Zahru up-to-date on all the drama she’s missing out on while she tries to work out, you know, her Real Life Stuff. If you thoroughly enjoyed the beginning chapters of The Kinder Poison and all of Hen’s antics, you’ll love what she brings to The Cruelest Mercy.

The plot of The Cruelest Mercy is probably the thing I can say the least about (insert sad face here). All I can really say is that it’s an emotional rollercoaster, and that you’d better clear your schedule because you will not want to put this book down. The tension is dialled up to eleven, the worldbuilding is expansive, the twists and turns are crazy and the ~romance~ scenes will leave you tweet-screaming at Penguin for a third book.

I had the honour and privilege of reading four (yes, four) epilogues for The Cruelest Mercy, and I love the setup for a potential third book that this final version gives us. That being said, while it does provide ample setup for a third book, if the series was to end here, I don’t think readers would be too disappointed with how things turn out. 😉

Knowing me, I’m probably forgetting something, but I think that’s about all I can say about The Cruelest Mercy without going into spoiler territory! I loved this sequel so much. I don’t know quite what my expectations were for it, but they were certainly exceeded. Natalie Mae is a masterful writer, and whether or not the next thing they write is a third Kinder Poison book or something completely different, I need it in my hands immediately. And, regardless of if this is the end of the road, The Kinder Poison series will always remain a firm favourite and one I hold dear.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for one of my highly anticipated sequels!!!

Zahru and Jet are my favorites so I loved the fact that I got to see more of them in this one. This book is the sequel of The Kinder Poison and it had a lot of hype to live up to. Kasta reminds me of Cardan in The Cruel Prince series and I was not a fan of either. This book is an emotional roller-coaster ride of emotions and I'M HERE FOR IT! I hope this will be a series but I have no idea what the author has planned for them.

"'Rule with me', he says, and my stomach drops. 'Fight beside me, and we will be unstoppable. I will do everything you ask.'"

The trio is back: Jet, Kasta, and Zahru! You heard me. Kasta is back (surprise he's not dead!) and claiming HE is the true heir to the throne and winner of the Crossing bearing the gods mark as proof. And Z's love for chocolate is still s-t-r-o-n-g but she has this annoying, persistent bruise on her chest that kind of looks like the mark the winner of the Crossing is supposed to receive.



Jet is managing the kingdom of Orkena and the threat of war. Will Z and the gang be able to stop Kasta from becoming Mestrah and disastrous king?

A satisfying sequel to The Kinder Poison series! I could not make up my mind which Prince I adore but I am now officially joining #TeamKasta! Z is still full and sass and sarcasm that will make readers LOL. Her love for baked goods is relatable. Jet is a peach! Kasta is the Deathbringer, stabby-stabby psychopath prince. Cool, cool, cool. I forgive you. I love you. Bring on TKP 3!

READ IF YOU LIKE:
-high stakes adventure
-morally gray characters
-politics, secrets, & control
-magic & enchantments
-apology chocolate & a kitten
-#IsThisAKissingBook: "His kiss burns on my lips." TWO Princes, readers. But #TeamKasta!

Song: Everybody Wants To Rule The World by Lorde

What a beautiful sequel! I may have enjoyed this a bit more then the first... It doesn't happen all that often.

Jet is all set to become Mehstra after winning The Crossing. But it turns out, both Zahru and Kasta are marked by the Gods to rule... That means they will have to learn and work together. But Zahru suspects that Kasta is lying... She just has to find a way to prove it.

The way these two play off each other is fascinating. I still never trusted Kasta. How much can you trust someone who has tried multiple times to kill Zahru all the whole saying he is doing what he does for her!? I don't buy his "I did it all for you!"

I'll be honest and say I wasn't sure what was going to happen at the end. I liked the whole journey but the end 10% had my mouth wide open! In all honesty too, I got to read both endings. I had it downloaded and finished and then came here, see that the author had REVISED the epilogue. So I download again and read the revision. I don't know which I loved more but this new one definitely sets up a possible third....I hope! I need TeamJet to win out.

Pick this book up for sure and make sure you have read The Kinder Poison too !

Once again, Natalie Mae has made an exciting, sweeping adventure in a perfect sequel to "The Kinder Poison." Far exceeding my expectations, Mae builds upon the incredible world she introduced in this book's predecessor, making this sequel, in my opinion, better than the first.

Zahru, our main character, has a fascinating development from "the good girl" to "ruler who understands finding the peaceful solution may not always be the right solution." Her self-reflection in her attachment to Jet, the crown prince, is also a gorgeous part of the book that I think, frankly, is overshadowed by the other incredible plot of ascending to the throne. Mae has always balanced love triangles and romance perfectly with the book's conflict; this novel is no different.

The subterfuge and struggle of Zahru in this book shows a girl wrestling with her new power and her deep-seated anger and trauma over the events Kasta and Jet put her through in the last book. At times, we see her lose control, but it's never seen as unjustified.

One of the best parts about this book was the expansion of Hen's character; too often, novels will introduce a life-long friend that then disappears and has almost no agency in the story ever again. Mae beautifully subverted that expectation and built a fun, hilarious and exciting character. My only complaint is that we see less of other great characters, like Hector and Melia, who played a pivotal role in the previous book.

Overall, a stunning sequel that I couldn't put down.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Penguin Teen, for sending me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a great sequel to a book that I absolutely loved! I love all of the action and deception that occurs in this book, it kept me hooked and wanting to know what was going to happen next. I adore the morally gray characters in this book, especially a certain character who I won't name who did some questionable things but I still adore them!

I do feel that this book was a tad slower than the other one and was dialogue heavy. The majority of the story stays in a single place in the book which is unlike the first book. I like the traveling aspect of the first book and how the setting shifted so often (if you haven't read the book, there is a race across the desert). The dialogue was fun but I wish there had been less of it.

Overall, it was a great story! I would still highly recommend this series to those who love YA fantasy. I really need a third book since the ending felt pretty open so the author could definitely write more in this series. Or, to my dislike, it could be left as an open ending for the reader to interpret how the book would end. It was a great sequel and I would definitely recommend this!

Initial Thoughts
I was so here for The Kinder Poison last year - #teamKasta all the way! I couldn't wait to dive into the sequel.
Please note, I actually read the majority of this book a few months ago but after speaking to the author, learned the ending would be changing. I wanted to wait until I read the new ending to write my review.

Some Things I Liked
#teamKasta. As mentioned above, I'm a big Kasta fan and an even bigger villain redemption arc fan. I loved seeing Kasta change his ways.
Sass on sass on sass. Zahru is the queen of sassy comebacks and I'm so here for her inner monologues. She could literally do anything and hearing her thoughts about it would make me laugh. I love her as a character so much.
Slow burn enemies to lovers. Jett is ok, but I am rooting for Kasta to get the girl in the end. I loved the tension filled scenes with Zahru and Kasta and can't wait for more in Book 3.

Series Value
It should be clear by now that I'm fully invested in this series. I would love nothing more than a third book (and more) in this amazing series.

Final Thoughts
I loved this book. It was everything I wanted it to be and more. Also, so glad I waited to read the new ending because it was WORLDS better than the first ending. Please, please, please tell me there will be a third book in this series.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

**Review will be published June 10th**

SOMEONE TELL ME I GET ANOTHER BOOK.

No, but really.

If that’s the way this is ending I am definitely taking my rating down because that is cruel (ohhhh I did not see that pun coming).

If there’s another book, THEN HOT DANG, I STILL HAVE A CHANCE.

I have found a love triangle I am here for. And a villain with some remorse. These are the moments I am loving. This was a book I couldn’t put down. As soon as the first few chapters rolled by and I remembered everything that happened I was attached to the continuation. Maybe the plot wasn’t the strongest, but these characters are stunningly complex and I LOVE THAT.

I am so endgame for a particular couple in here (and if you know me you probably can guess, but I don’t want to spoil for anyone who read this). AND I JUST NEED IT TO HAPPEN. It will send this book next level because frankly, I’m intensely attached to this scenario.

This was beautifully written and rarely felt like it was diving into second book syndrome. Instead I saw growth on many fronts. I think the story is solid and like I mentioned earlier, realllllly needs a third book to wrap everything up. I want (read: NEED) more. This was entertaining and the writing made it feel like such a quick read. I was surprised how quickly I flew through it. Zahru was a great main character and had me laughing at her jokes and commentary. I to, am easily persuaded when desserts are involved.

Overall audience notes:
- YA Fantasy + Romance
- Language: very little
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: physical altercations, knives/swords, skirmishes, animal attacks, poison, assassination attempts; not overly bloody/gory

ahh this book was entertaining. I flew through it and I liked the writing because it’s easygoing and just pleasant to read.

Zahru is one of a kind. she’s a very fun narrator and I enjoy her story and her jokes. I loved her in The Kinder Poison. here, she has big developments and it’s interesting to read about.

the plot is fairly easy to follow, and I really liked that clear thread! it wasn’t messy at all. I didn’t expect the direction where this was going and the ending offered some more twists. this was indeed entertaining! and the world building was stronger than in TKP, which I appreciated a lot.

I think the only problem I have with this book is how it serves as both, an ending to a duology and a « give little » second part in a trilogy. I know that it’s not clear whether there will be a third part or not, which is why I didn’t feel super satisfied in the end. this book could be either but, for me, it would not be sufficient as a finale for a duology. it’s not really an *epic conclusion* nor a strong sequel, which it could have been.

although I would have liked more advancements in the story, I have to remark the developments of Zahru and Kasta (very unexpected things happen). I’m glad Hen is back but all these side characters from TKP all get rather pushed into the background.

did I like how it turned out? it was okay. I expected something different... when you read it you will probably understand what I mean.

I really can only hope that there is a third part that can blow me away and this story gets the ending it deserves!

ahh this book was entertaining. I flew through it and I liked the writing because it’s easygoing and just pleasant to read.

Zahru is one of a kind. she’s a very fun narrator and I enjoy her story and her jokes. I loved her in The Kinder Poison. here, she has big developments and it’s interesting to read about.

the plot is fairly easy to follow, and I really liked that clear thread! it wasn’t messy at all. I didn’t expect the direction where this was going and the ending offered some more twists. this was indeed entertaining! and the world building was stronger than in TKP, which I appreciated a lot.

I think the only problem I have with this book is how it serves as both, an ending to a duology and a « give little » second part in a trilogy. I know that it’s not clear whether there will be a third part or not, which is why I didn’t feel super satisfied in the end. this book could be either but, for me, it would not be sufficient as a finale for a duology. it’s not really an *epic conclusion* nor a strong sequel, which it could have been.

although I would have liked more advancements in the story, I have to remark the developments of Zahru and Kasta (very unexpected things happen). I’m glad Hen is back but all these side characters from TKP all get rather pushed into the background.

did I like how it turned out? it was okay. I expected something different... when you read it you will probably understand what I mean.

I really can only hope that there is a third part that can blow me away and this story gets the ending it deserves!


thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for sending me an e-ARC!

Okay so I finished this literally 10 seconds ago and i just have no others words beside “oh my gods what a ROLLERCOASTER”. That last 10% of the book??? Literally 📉📈📉📈📉📈📉📈.

This book definitely joins my list of “the second book was better” along with Catching Fire, and The Silvered Serpents because there was just this constant sense of anticipation and dread through out the entire thing.

Zahru’s character development in this book is PHENOMENALLY written. From the very beginning we can see the subtle changes in her character and they all tie together nicely for the ending.

I’m already dying to get my hands on book 3.

I wasn’t blown away by this book, but there is nothing objectively wrong with it. I simply don’t feel attached to the characters as much as I did in the previous book. The pacing of the book was a little off, but I really enjoyed the plot.

Natalie Mae sure does know how to hook a sequel.

Just like in Cruelest Mercy, the plot is steady at best and drags at worst until the climax, in which the stakes rise to a level where you’re completely unable to look away for even a second. Zahru and Kasta’s enemies dynamic is just as juicy and engaging as before, and watching them work side by side is like watching the most beautiful trainwreck you could imagine.

Without any spoilers, I was disappointed in the lack of certain characters I had grown to love in the first book, and frustrated at the abundance of others who I hadn’t expected to be back in such a massive capacity.

My same qualm about the world’s language feeling too modern still stands, though I did get more used to it in the second book. Still, a character in a high fantasy inspired by ancient Egypt describing herself as “salty” was a bit jarring.

Zahru’s strengths that I had praised in the first book took a complete 180, and though she very much takes more agency over her own life in this sequel, I found some of her character choices to be frustrating at times. Ultimately, it was justified, but I won’t lie when I say sometimes I felt myself rolling my eyes at her intense fixation on Kasta. Zahru’s voice is often hard to distinguish, but her comedy is a strong point and she’s still remains a super relatable character.

Jet is still high on the list of my favorite fictional book boyfriends. His character was a highlight of the story, and his more secondary role in this book is different yet welcome.

Kasta remains just as intriguing and frustratingly alluring as ever, and knowing how his story ends in The Kinder Poison and watching his journey through The Cruelest Mercy was immensely fun, especially because of the knowledge the readers have that other characters do not.

Overall, The Cruelest Mercy stands strong next to its predecessor, and I am once again itching to know where Zahru’s story goes from here.