Kingdom fantasy mixed with romance and hidden historical truths. Mortara is a kingdom of secrets, more and more of which get revealed the further into the story we go. Some of which are held by those that didn’t even realize they had a secret to hide.

In each of the four lands, firstborns of every family inherit the same curse based on the betrayal by their ancestral rulers toward the goddess:
Solon=deadly beauty/allure
Calatris=cursed with more knowledge than the mortal mind could bear; delirium
Petros=bloodlust
Mortara=sunset to dawn spent as shadow
For three, the firstborn curse kicks in at age 20. For the fourth, the curse activates at their birth and their life ends after their 20th year. Truly intriguing stuff especially given one of the main quests for our FMC is to tackle breaking said curse upon the royal lines. No pressure.

A main female character whose future is the only one that cannot be truly Seen by the Seers throughout the realm. Believer, sheltered, animal-lover, kind-hearted, sunshine. Secrets hidden in her blood, unknown even to her.

MMC who is the last of his line and slowly slipping away from life due to his bloodline curse of an existence of shadow. A half life for the one they call the Half King. Grumpy, cynical, angry, mysterious, grieving a life he’ll never get to live, scared to hope.

The argument of man-made religion over true belief. This was a BIG topic tackled throughout the story which I know can be hit or miss for some. I found it fascinating for this read, especially with the FMC having been raised from birth in a temple like all second born nobles of the kingdoms.

Add in a freaking adorably ugly half-breed pupper gifted by the king. Who grows into deadly, giant adorably ugly pupper bonded to sweetheart Cerise. I mean, who doesn’t love an animal companion in a fantasy novel, am I right?

There were some moments where the puzzle pieces of the story didn’t seem to fit in my mind. Like knowing Kian is king and picturing him as older despite knowing that he’s under 21 years of age. The vibe for Father Padron was difficult to nail down as well, but perhaps that was intentional. Kian and Cerise’s chemistry was an odd fit at times as well. But, to be fair, it also came across rather sweet. Almost like the vibes of a YA fantasy romance with young love which fits Cerise approaching the age of 19 rather than the NA fantasy category it was promoted for. The world-building and myth is were entirely fascinating to me, but the romance just wasn’t hitting what I’d hope it to do. Could be typical first-book-of-a-new-fantasy syndrome or the real world bringing me down, but I can’t quite put a finger on why I couldn’t fully get attached to the story.

That revelation near the end, I truly did not see coming. I suspected part of it, but to read the full reveal?? Stunned. But the signs were all there the more I thought about it. And then that epilogue??? I had to read it TWICE to understand what was going on because wow what a point to end the first book on. Plot-wise, The Half King had so much going for it.

Even with my disconnect toward the romance, I would still recommend this to readers that enjoy a semi-spicy romantasy filled with worldview-reorienting quests, court politics, found family, and a fascinating mythos.

Thank you Entangled for the e-arc! I bought a physical copy for my shelf. The cover is amazing and I cant wait for book 2. Would love to read more from this author

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read The Half King, which is available now!

This is the first Red Tower release that has fallen flat for me. The way it was written, I had a hard time picturing it all in my head and I’m someone who usually sees glimpses to full on stories visually when it’s done well.

Cerise to me wasn’t very memorable nor was the king. I never really felt the dynamic between them, or of themselves individually. Perhaps it’s because Cerise especially just seemed so submissive.

I was excited to read this book, but it just didn’t do it for me.

There was drama, action and adventure, a case of hidden/secret/mistaken identity, (spicy) romance, and a fluffy sidekick. Honestly what more could a girl want from a book. Overall I loved it. I thought the pacing was good, it never got too slow. Lots of great, well-developed characters to root for (and against). Definitely ready for book 2…how long do I have to wait? 🤪

The Half King is fascinating story of a guy that simply doesn't seem to exist from sundown to sunup due to a curse. The idea of curses affecting the ruling families and magic being restricted to only the males intrigues me. It took me a little while to get into this book, but once I got into it, I was invested.

I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next because the twists and turns the story takes at the end left me going 'what the heck did I just read?' and 'did that really just happen?' Gasping, screaming, making me think, staying up way too late trying to track that last 100 pages, and the epilogue meaning.

Highly recommend.

This was a fun book! I loved the playful banter of the main characters. We also can’t help but rethink many truths about our world as we read. Is there more truth than what we have been told? The main character encounters this and through the story, comes to accept that she must place her trust in her goddess and her intuition instead of those around her.

Absolutely captivating story. The characters are witty and fun to follow. Cercise is amazing and naive but not in a sense that it's annoying. The structure of the kingdom is interesting and the curses are unique and interesting. The adventure they go on is fast paced to the point I don't want to put down. the relationship and friendship between Daerick, Kain and Cerise is very well made. Absolutely would recommend to those who love romantasy.

Thank you Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC..

I was really looking forward to reading this but unfortunately it fell a little flat for me. A king lost to shadows and a seer who must help him without any powers-such an amazing premise. This seemed right up my alley. Unfortunately, romance was a big reason why this missed the mark. In their first interaction, the king is horrible to Cerise but yet after one conversation he’s suddenly in love with her?? How? It was way too instalove for my liking. I also hoped the magic and politics would be explored more. The beginning of the book makes it seem like Kian is a king who doesn’t care about his people, yet at the end there are suddenly a bunch of supporters? And the twist at the end seemed to come out of nowhere. How old is everyone?

There are some really great side characters and story moved quickly. The ending is intriguing and I may pick up the next book. I just wish there was more development of the romance and world.

Thank you Entangled for the advanced copy.

Talk about a fantasy that's easy to get swept up in! The world building was very well done! I almost didn't even realize it was happening cause it flowed so well with the plot! The characters are introduced so well and are easy to love! Blue might be my favorite, though 😉 I thought for sure this was going to be a standalone right up until those last few sentences. Can't wait to see what happens next!

Shadow Daddy? Yes, please! I’m here for it! I could not put this one down. I got wrapped up in this story and flew through it. I love that it wrapped up nicely, but still was left open for another book. I’ve got my fingers crossed for more. I need more love, passion, betrayal and adventure. The magic and curses are great too. If you like fantasy, check this one out.

Thank you Red Tower and NetGalley for the ARC.

I need more right away! So many elements of this book are why I love Red Tower and the books that they bring to the table: betrayal, romance, adventure, magic. I was taken away on an adventure in my head and didn't want to come back to reality. I hate having to wait for more and knowing what comes next for Kian and Cerise, but I know the wait will be worth it.

I want to say thank you so much for giving me this amazing opportunity to have received this arc.
It such an amazing book.
It has actions
Betrayal
Romance
Adventure
Magic
Beauty
Spice
Animal appreciation
The thing that has captivated me is that the way it has described that you’re so scared on breaking the rules because they told you that’s how it supposed to be. But breaking them, you can have relief and sometimes we don’t need to take so literal on what’s written.
I was able to relate to this a lot, and be able to find who you truly are.

This book follows Kian and Cerise on their journey to break the lifelong curses of noble families in their realm. As a whole, I thought this book was good but I didn’t think it was anything to write home about. I found some timing issues in it taking until ~50% to really get the plot going. With that being said these characters are so lovable which is a major redeeming factor.

Thank youuuuu Entangled for arcing me a copy of this book. It’s been a hot minute since I’ve ready anything by Melissa but the concept was quite an interesting one.

3.5 stars!!

Unfortunately, this story felt a bit generic and underdeveloped. Some of the key elements about the lore and curses weren’t presented fully. The “why” for Cerise’s living situation didn’t feel well explained.

The behavior of the characters felt way younger than described in the book. It felt like I was following high school freshmen. The spice that was included in this book also felt equally as childish and unnecessary to the plot of the story.

**mild spoiler**
The concept of “love-making makes my powers stronger” is just…. Really?!?!

This was an average experience. I don’t think this is a book that I would recommend very often, but others might enjoy it more than me.

Thank you Entangled Publishing and Red Tower Books for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review! 💜🧚

4 stars ⭐️

Thank you so much to Entangled / Red Tower Publishing and Netgalley for the eArc!

I really liked this book!

I thought the storyline was so unique! "a king by day, shadow by night?!" I WAS HOOKED! I loved the magic systems and the politics in the story were so interesting.

I really enjoyed Cerise's character & her growth throughout the book. I thought her relationship with Kian was a bit "insta-love" but I still liked them together!

I really enjoyed Melissa's writing style & I will definitely be reading more of their work!

Thank you so much to Entangled / Red Tower Publishing for the eArc!

I just finished The Half King by Melissa Landers, and I'm still vibrating with need for the next and how much love I feel for the book. This book completely swept me off my feet with its richly woven characters,and unexpected twists.

One of the best parts of this novel is its expertly crafted character development. the author has done an amazing job at giving readers a glimpse into the complex lives of her characters. I appreciated how she tackled tough themes and emotions, never shying away from the harsh realities her characters faced. It was important to me that she touch base on all of them and how their problems affected them
Instead of leaving it unknown until later books like you often see.

At the heart of the story is a woman who goes through a transformation from start to finish. Her growth from a vulnerable and uncertain individual to a confident, kick-ass heroine is truly inspiring. We love a girl boss moment and love watching a character find her true self.

Just when I thought I had a handle on the where the end was going, the author dropped a bombshell twist that left me reeling. I rarely encounter books that surprise me, but The Half King did just that.

Loved the dynamic in this book!! It was beautiful. Fantasies are one of my favorite genres and this book exceeded my expectations. The whole premise with first and second borns was so good!! This book ticked all the boxes for me

I really didn’t know what to expect from this new-to-me author, but the blurb intrigued me, even though it’s fantasy (and I don’t do many of those)!

With noble families, treachery, and curses, The Half King leads us through multiple challenges and puzzles in a bid to break the curses passed to first-born children.

For a reader who is generally not fantasy led, I loved everything about this. I loved that there was no test I had to pass to understand the world in which this is set.

I loved that I could read each chapter and enjoy the storyline without fear... fear of missing something massive that would later play a huge part in the story.

Of course, there are mysteries to be solved, which leads to other anamolies showing that not everything quite adds up.

Kian, the King, and his closest allies, including the lovely Cerise, stop at nothing to find long sought-after answers.

I thoroughly enjoyed the quest to break the curse that has blighted generations of noble families.

From the ending, it is evident that there is more to come in the Half King series. However, this book reaches a satisfactory conclusion should you choose not to read further.

Having said that, I can't wait for another instalment in this amazing world with Kian, Cerise, and Daerick.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was very enjoyable to me - the plot was so interesting, the world building was great and it just felt different from anything else I've ever read before. The pace was set perfectly - it was slow burn but just enough. The fantasy elements were intriguing and there were plot twists that I did not see coming. The FMC, Cerise, was such an inspiring character, and I loved seeing her character growth and how she evolved and grew in confidence throughout the book. Cerise and Kian instantly take to each other, and that can sometimes feel unrealistic and not believable but that wasn't the case here. I can't wait for the sequel.

Thank you so much Melissa Landers and Entangled Publishing for the eARC of this book.

This is for you if you love these tropes:

👑 Forbidden Romance
👑 Slow Burn
👑 Found Family
👑 Forced Proximity
👑 Magic system