I liked it well enough. It was average in every way, characters, plot, world building... very run of the mill. Which is sad because I was excited due to this being the author of the highly acclaimed To Kill a Kingdom. The story felt lackluster and run of the mill. The characters aren't memorable, and even the evil villain and villainess felt like a non threat most of the time. I got bored at around 60% in and would have DNFd if I had a stronger will.

Sixteen-year-old Selestra Somniatis comes from a long line of witches, but she’s lived her life trapped in a castle on the Floating Mountain. The Somniatis Witches are tied to King Seryth, an immortal. He steals the souls of participants in the Festival of Predictions. He needs his witches to foretell of their deaths. If only one could beat the festival, they could take the King’s life.

Nox Laederic is a soldier in King Seryth’s army. He plans to win the festival and kill the king and his court, including Selestra.

When Selestra touches Nox, she has her first ever prediction and their fates intertwined.

The cover of this book was stunning, and I was excited to read it. I like how similar Selestra is to Rapunzel in the sense, considering they lock her in a tower for most of her life. This is my first read by Christo, and I have to say she knows how to pull you in from the start of the story. There was some great world-building, but I felt the characters fell a little flat in comparison. I was so enchanted with Selestra, but it would have been amazing to dive a little deeper! Having Selestra be the only POV and deleting the romance would have made this read even better. Overall, I did not buy their connection, and it would have been more interesting to really dive into Selestra’s past and her powers more. I did like this read, but I would not say I loved it. If you are into fantasy reads that are pretty plot-driven, I think you’ll enjoy this one!

Thank you to Net Galley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for the ARC!

In Princess of Souls, a reimagining of the fairytale Rapunzel, Selestra Somniatis spends her days imprisoned in a tower on Floating Mountain. She is destined to replace her mother as the king's witch, who prophesies deaths in the Festival of Predictions. Participants must survive three threats to their lives during a fortnight. The first threat is predicted by the king's witch, giving the person a chance to avoid death. If they die, which most do, their soul will be consumed by King Seryth to extend his immortality. If they live, a wish will be granted, and they are given the opportunity to attempt to survive the remaining fatal encounters. Seryth will cede his immortality to anyone who succeeds, which, of course, no one does. Enter Nox Laederic, a Last Army soldier who hopes to kill Seryth in revenge for his father's murder. Selestra, who can prophesy a person's death by merely touching them, is allowed to practice on Nox. She foresees that Nox's death is intertwined with her own. She convinces him to help her escape to an island safe from Seryth's rule, where a fabled sword is hidden that must be used to end Seryth's life. Needless-to-say the escape is fraught with danger and adventure. Nox and Selestra's witty banter adds to this slow-burning romance.

“No matter where you are, the sun has to rise. Not even the darkest days are permanent.”

From the author of To Kill A Kingdom comes a new fantasy tale loosely inspired by Rapunzel. The novel veers away from the traditional tale more than most retellings making it a unique story that stands out on its own.

For 16 years, Selestra has lived locked up in the castle on the Floating Mountain; almost without contact with other people. She’s been preparing to eventually take on her mother’s role as the King’s Witch when she turns eighteen, and with it acquiring the power to foretell death and feed souls to the immortal King.

The story begins at the Festival of Predictions. A yearly ceremony where the King offers those who are brave enough to cheat death the chance to grant their biggest wish if they make it throughout the next couple of weeks; or the chance to steal his immortality if they stay alive for the whole month, until the Blood Moon. Although thousands have tried, only a handful have attained a wish and none have been able to escape death and attain immortality before.

This year, Selestra, although not yet of age, is instructed to complete her first prediction. She meets Nox, a soldier in the King’s army seeking revenge for his father’s death. However, things don’t go as expected and, when Selestra foretells his death, she binds both of their fates together: if one of them dies the other will too. In order to survive and achieve each of their own personal goals they will have to form an alliance and survive together without anyone finding out about this accidental partnership.

Despite the novel being quite a predictable read, Alexandra Christo delivers a fun YA with classic tropes and romance. It’s well written and the fantasy elements of the novel are actually very interesting. The world building is easy to understand and follow throughout the story. Even though at times slow, the pace of the story picks up as the story moves forward and we encounter more action scenes full of emotion.

The characters are pretty charismatic. Selestra is full of fears but with huge curiosity to see the world and with a desire to break free form being her family and the destiny that awaits for her. It really is satisfying to see her grow into herself by the end of the book. On the other hand, Nox is a smug young soldier with an understandable motivation but questionable methods. The dual POV highlights their different perspectives and how each interprets the events of the story making it all the more interesting. Their companions Micah and Irenya are also interesting but there’s not as much depth to them. As for the relationship between Selestra and Nox, it’s your usual enemies to lovers, and its development feels organic. The banter shared between the group makes the whole reading experience a lot more enjoyable.

This is not a groundbreaking book and it’s quite simple in terms of plot and structure—making it predictable at times—but it’s still a fun and enjoyable read that doesn’t require the reader to put a lot of thought into it; one can just enjoy the story for what it is. All in all, Princess of Souls brings us into a fantastical world of magical and mythical creatures. An original and easy to read story with witty characters and action-packed scenes.

Princess of Souls really packs a punch, drawing the reader into a world of intrigue from the first page. I was initially hesitant of the Rapunzel-inspired description, but I quickly realized Selestra with her green hair wasn't tossing it down to bring up her prince. The action never stopped moving, and the relationships between characters makes you feel as if you know them already. I can't wait to share this book with patrons!

Thank you NetGalley and Feiwel and Friends for this eARC!

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. :/ I really, really wanted to love this one. Rapunzel is my favorite princess, so I HAD to read a retelling. However, it fell really flat for me.

I finally put this down because I wasn’t a fan of the writing style. It seems like every two sentences there is some dramatic inner-monologue one-liner. It was getting exhausting. I also really can’t stand Nox. I’m sorry, but he’s cringey at best.

I might try picking this one up in the future, but I’m putting it aside for now. I think it has a lot of potential to reach its targeted audience.

***Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book.***

Princess of Souls takes the timeless tale of Rapunzel and adds a dark spin to it—where witches trapped in towers hold mystical magic and rebellious soldiers seek to gain revenge in a story of tangled fates and thrilling adventure.

In a land riddled with prophecy and magic, Selestra is the heir to a long line of ancient witches cursed by a cruel king to steal souls, granting him immense power and immortality. But Selestra longs for more than a life trapped within the castle's walls, and when a rogue soldier crosses her path, she becomes entangled in a much larger journey that even she couldn’t foresee.

This book was a wild ride taking readers on a fairytale adventure through mysterious castles, enchanted islands, haunted woods, and soaring hot air balloons. From the first page, the story gripped me with its storybook nods, misfit cast of characters, eerie magic, and sweet romance. (And this romance was just perfect—going from hating each other to flirty banter to a heartfelt friendship, then more!) Every aspect of this novel kept me enticed in anticipation of what would come next.

I adored Selestra’s growth as she learned more about herself, her powers, and what she wanted out of life. I enjoyed seeing her embrace her individuality and make it her strength. Her partnership with Nox had my heart completely MELTING, and I loved how their story rounded out.

If you’re a fairytale lover, definitely keep this new, exciting read in mind for your next fantasy escape.

3.75/5

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Thoughts

I'm having a hard time finding something good to say about a book I'm sure many people will love. It just wasn't for me. The concept is fun, if a bit generic. The execution is weak.

Pros
Sympathetic Witch: It is so easy, in a fairytale retelling to make the older-woman-character prototypically evil. After all, all the original fairytales do. Here, however, that's not the case. Sure, this wicked witch is particularly wicked... but she's also controlled by the evil king. The real evil here is the man in charge of it all, and I can appreciate that subversion.

Present Evil: At its heart, this book reads like a quest, and in a lot of quest-style fantasy books, the big bad character isn't very present. He's a looming evil, of sure. His shadow is always over the group, but it is nice in this book to have an evil king that must be defeated who is part of the story outside of the climactic battle. The king here is a very present threat from the start.

Adventure: Rarely can a fantasy published these days be called an "adventure," and yet that term most definitely fits here. These characters go galivanting across the land, a quest urging them on. There are pirates, high seas, and shouting guards at every port city. Adventure is at the heart of this tale, and I love that.


Cons
Nonsensical Styles: Rarely am I a fan of fantasy stylings that are purely there for aesthetic. If some type of character has antlers or snake eyes or scales or green hair, I need to know why. When the aesthetic is just aesthetic, no purpose, it always sounds a little bit... dumb to me. Others might like it, but I'm not here for a "monstrous" character who is, at the end of the day, just a beautiful woman with yellow eyes and green hair.

No Chemistry: Witty banter does not replace chemistry, regardless of what several recently-published fantasy books would have you believe. Alexandra Christos is by no means alone here. Even the banter wasn't that great--it was pretty bland, to be honest. The characters had no reason to like each other outside of that, and they didn't dwell on each other long enough for lust to be the determining feature. There was no reason to think they were into each other except for the fact that I was told as much.

Weird Terminology: The terminology thrown so casually into this book makes no sense. Nox almost immediately refers to Selestra as a princess, which is perhaps a nod to the "Rapunzel" story structure here. But a princess is a very specific thing that Selestra most certainly is not. The fact that she grew up in a palace and wealthy doesn't cut it. Many other noble girls could claim as much. The fact that the king refers to her as his "heir" was also irritating to me. He means the heir to the witch, both of whom he owns. Therefore, she is, possessively, his. But she's not his heir, not the one set to inherit his power, and so this terminology thrown around all the time felt wrong. Randoms on the street see Selestra and shout "A Witch!" This, too, feels weird because... there are only two witches left? So she's not just "a" witch. She's one of two very specific witches. All of this to say, it felt a little clunky.


Rating
⭐⭐⭐
3/10

Those who enjoyed Rosamund Hodge's Cruel Beauty might enjoy some more deals-with-the-not-quite-literal-devil. Fans of Emily Thiede's This Vicious Grace will appreciate another magic girl bound by fate--and with a handsome sidekick she could never, ever date.

Rich in world building and such an enjoyable read. I loved the characters and their journey. Such a unique and wonderful concept!

A big thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for gifting me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Have I read To Kill A Kingdom? Yes. Did I like it that much? No, not really. Have I read Into the Crooked Place? Also no. But did I read and quite like Princess of Souls? Absolutely yes.

Princess of Souls by Alexandra Christo is a YA fantasy retelling of Rapunzel mixed with a heavy spoon of classic Greek mythology. This book follows the suffocating life of Selestra as she is destined to become head Somniatis Witch, a seer of souls and teller of destinies. The only problem is, Selestra is still a novice. And her first reading ends a little messily with her own fate tied to another's. Enter Nox, a solider about to turn Selestra's life upside down.

Overall, I really like this concept. As it beautifully wove together many favorite myths and stories. And we certainly can't forget about the much brooding yet adorable character known as Nox. Who has quickly stolen my heart. Even though he would want to stab it, probably.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

Princess of Souls is a Rapunzel-inspired fantasy starring Selestra Somniatis, a witch princess who has spent her life trapped in a castle preparing to take her mother's place as Somniatis Witch. But when Selestra discovers her fate is intertwined with that of Nox Laederic, the two must work together to survive.

In all, this was a solid standalone fantasy. The world wasn't the easiest to understand, but there is still a concerted effort at worldbuilding, and ultimately I was able to puzzle out the things that felt important to the plot. Although the characters were also not as fleshed out as I would have liked, I still thoroughly enjoyed the enemies-to-lovers romance and felt easily able to root for our main characters.

I think standalone fantasies can be difficult, especially when they're not incredibly long, because it is hard to create an incredibly rich world and full, complex characters in more limited space. While Christo doesn't fully succeed in overcoming this challenge, she does do enough to make Princess of Souls an entertaining and fast-paced read, which anyone looking for a quick standalone fantasy is sure to enjoy.

A Creative re-imagining of Rapunzel with wonderful world building and intricate storytelling. I loved the enemies to lovers romance and the way Selestra and Nox's fates were intertwined. This was a wonderful novel and a delight to read.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

While I haven’t read Alexandra Christo’s prior book, To Kill a Kingdom, I have wanted to for a while. And now seeing what she has to offer with Princess of Souls (which is set in the same world, although not a direct sequel), I am intrigued. I love fairytale inspired stories that take them in a darker direction, and while this isn’t a proper retelling, I like how it takes some dynamics of Rapunzel as its setup and does its own thing.

Selestra, the first of two POV characters, is intriguing from the beginning, and she’s in such an intense situation. While she’s a witch and her mother’s heir, she’s also locked in a tower, and subject to the whims of a soul-stealing king, who is seeking to retain control of the remaining wielders of magic in the Six Isles, motivating her to bring him down. She also has the gift of foresight, which makes her really unique among all the YA protagonists I’ve read, and plays really well into the plot and the decisions she ends up making.

Nox is the other main character, and he’s also pretty interesting. He’s a soldier in the King’s army with his own goal to kill the King, everyone else in the King court…including Selestra. While that can be very hit-or-miss for me, I like that it lent itself to a true enemies-to-lovers vibe, especially as there was a magical caveat as to why Nox had to work with Selestra, due to their souls being bonded. It was sweet to see that as the starting point, and to have them grow from reluctant allyship to love.

This is a fun, tropey, yet fresh YA fantasy romance, and one I’d recommend to those who are fans of the genre, especially if you enjoy fairytale inspired fiction or morally gray protagonists.

Not what I was expecting from something billed as inspired by Rapunzel. For me, the appeal of fairy tale retellings is to discover a fresh twist or viewpoint that the original story didn't offer; however, this bears absolutely no resemblance to Rapunzel as a story. Without that draw, the story was uninteresting, with one-dimensional characters and a forced romance.

Princess of Souls was an unexpected treat, one that was both amazing and a little disappointing. The first lines immediately hooked me, “I can tell someone when they’re going to die. All I need is a lock of hair and their soul.” With its emphasis on death, I was fully prepared for a grim take on the fairytale and did not suspect the lighter fare it became after Selestra and Nox met. They clash at nearly every opportunity and the witty banter is especially entertaining. She calls him out for everything (big or small, necessary or not), and he teases her relentlessly. Their chemistry blooms quickly even as they tell themselves nothing is going on.

I wanted to spend more time with the characters and the many events that unfolded. Because this is a standalone, everything zipped by, and I didn’t have a chance to immerse myself in some of the interesting parts of the story, especially those in the second half. By the time I knew it, I was already nearing the end and not entirely satisfied with how the book teased spectacular things but did not quite follow through.

Princess of Souls took me on a grand adventure that I wish lasted longer than a single volume. I was not prepared to say goodbye to Selestra and Nox when the book ended. I know we get the book authors write, but I could not help but want so much more. Individuals looking for adventure and a quick read will enjoy the novel.

From the author of To Kill a Kingdom, Alexandra Christo, comes a Rapunzel-inspired YA fantasy romance about a teen 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. Her mother is the top witch to the king who feeds him these souls.

Every year during Festival of Predictions, in preparation for the Red Moon, people barter parts of their soul to the king and try to make it until the beginning of the red moon or the end of the month. Some make it only a few hours or the halfway mark of the month, but after the halfway mark of the month the king hunts those still alive to consume their soul to stay alive 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.

Selestra can tell when someone is going to die with just a lock of your hair. Selestra, like her mother, is tied to King Seryth thanks to an ancient oath made long ago by her descendant, Isadore. Nox Laederic is a member of the Last Army's Thanatos Regiment and the youngest to be given his own regiment. Nox believes that in order to kill Seryth, he must kill Selestra. But a curious thing happens to his path to revenge for his father. After Selestra sees her own death, she knows that she is now tied to Nox. If he dies, she dies.

Only by working together can they survive long enough to escape the dark fate and the immortal King that now hunts them. Although you can see some Rapunzel references, the fact that Selestra has hair down past her butt, I would call this a loosely inspired retelling set in the same world as To Kill A Kingdom. This is both an enemies to lovers trope, as well as a story about a young woman coming to terms with the fact that she is no longer just a prop for her mother and the King, but someone who has her own powers and abilities that may finally unite the Six Isles.

I really do appreciate authors who can write standalone novels and not expect readers to follow them to sequels. This book wraps up fairly mundane and maybe a bit on the predictable side. The story doesn't just stay in one place, it moves out of the Floating Mountain to a place by air balloon that is said to be the only place in the Six Isles that refuses to bend a knee to the King. This is also the place where Selestra can finally understand what her future really holds.

I was given this digital ARC copy through a Fierce Reads giveaway and I had so much fun reading it! I am always looking for more fairytale retellings and Alexandra Christo’s “Princess of Souls” checks all the boxes!

- If you're looking for a lush YA fantasy you can burn through in a weekend, PRINCESS OF SOULS is the book for you.
- The magic system in this book was unique, and it was interesting to learn more about it alongside Selestra as she discovered the true history of her people over the course of the book.
- The Festival of Predictions part of the plot was a bit overcomplicated, but I was more than happy to follow Selestra and Nox across the kingdom as they tried to outrun their fates.

This was such a fun book to read! I really enjoyed the way the characters interacted with each other, the growth was believable and just great, the romance cute, and the ending...not my favorite but nothing that makes me bawl will ever be truly fun, lol. So glad I got to read this!