⭐ Rating: 4/5

The Uncrowned King builds beautifully on the groundwork laid in The Bastard King, raising the stakes and deepening both the romance and the fantasy world. This sequel feels more intense, more emotional, and ultimately more rewarding.

The plot centers around two major goals: restoring the hero’s memories and defeating a powerful enemy, all while the bonds between characters (romantic, familial, and political) grow tighter or more fraught. One standout moment for me was the confrontation between the sisters, which packed real emotional weight.

The romance between the main couple continues, and while it’s familiar, it gains strength and heart. There’s a strong “I would do anything for you” energy that gives their relationship urgency and warmth. Several new couples are introduced too.

The world expands in exciting ways. We visit new locations, and the magic system becomes much clearer, helping everything feel more grounded in the rules of the world.

Action takes a bigger role this time around, but it’s still driven by emotional stakes and a sense of love and loyalty. I especially appreciated the FMC’s courage, even in moments of hardship, she faces her choices head-on, never backing down.

This is a strong sequel that improves on book one in several ways. If you enjoyed The Bastard King, this continuation is more emotional, more intense, and more satisfying.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book was good but unfortunately I could not fall in love with it, the plot was a little lackluster for me but I am so grateful for the opportunity to read it and discover this author!! I would 100% recommend it for any new fantasy readers or people looking to get into the fantasy world

The second installment in the Bastard Duology picks up right where The Bastard King left off, plunging us deeper into the ongoing war between light and darkness in Donna Grant’s ever-evolving Dark Universe. The Uncrowned King raises the stakes, particularly in the conflict between the Dragon Kings and Miena. As shifting alliances emerge, we’re left wondering—can enemies become allies when faced with a greater threat?

This fast-paced sequel delivers plenty of action and tests the strength of loyalties under fire. Questions linger around the fates of the characters.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review

The second part of Derek and Kora’s love story brings their romance to a conclusion. A book full of events, new discoveries, and love.
I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for NetGalley.

second part

Thanks to NetGalley and DL Grant LLC for the ARC.

My opinion is the same as for the first book. I'm glad I got to see the 'end' of the romance, I liked the chemistry between Kora and Derek, and it was a good way to wrap up their journey. I am still thrown in the middle of a massive fictional universe, with many characters brought in from other books, and multiple plot threads left unfinished by the end, probably to be picked up with a different series within the same universe. This is not a duology to start this wider world with, and I wish that was made much clearer from book 1.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

2/5 stars! I wanted to love this book because Donna Grant is a sweetheart and I've enjoyed some of her short novellas in the past. But it felt like everything was surface level. It was all tell and no show and yet somehow didn't tell me enough about the characters or creatures. It needed more meat on its bones so it could draw me into the story. A miss for me.

I received an advance ebook copy of The Uncrowned King by Donna Grant from netgalley.

This is the second book in a duology. The first book was a struggle for me to get through and I gave it 3 stars.

HOWEVER it's a good storyline and was worth pushing through because The Uncrowned King is so good. It picks up right where the first book left off.

This book goes deeper into character development and world building. So good!

Book: The Uncrowned King
Author:Donna Grant
Series: The Bastard Duology
Book Length: 319 Pages
Publisher: DL Grant, LLC
Overall Rating: 5 Stars
Blog Rating: 5 Saltire Flags

I would burn the world for him…


My people have been hunted to extinction by dragons. I am the last of my kind. Forever running. Forever alone.


Then I met him. Dangerous. Carnal. Dragon And utterly magnetic. I had no defenses against the passion that claimed us.


Each time his lips touched mine, each time his arms held me, I fell deeper.




My mortal enemy became my world. The very reason for my existence….The second installment and duology conclusion.




The Uncrowned King
By Donna Grant


This is the second book in the duology which started right where it left off in The Bastard King cliffhanger. In this book we discover more complicity between Miena & Villette’s with the duration of Derek's previous life. Is Villete even a person to be trusted? Another question to question is if they had a harmful effect on his magic or put the magic in jeopardy? Also what makes Derek give him enough power so the Star person can’t break into his power? Is it even possible? Will Dereck and Kora ever trust Villette again?

Derek continues to discover answers from species on Zora while Koro looks for allie’s in people she previously had despised .On top of that the dragon Kings are doing what they can to help Zora and Dereck? However will it be enough?

Another book that I absolutely devoured in the second part of this duology that connects to th re upcoming Dragon Iong series.

Another magnificent novel that I could not put down! This has a magical world that draws you in and you never want to let go. It is detailed with rich storylines with so many multi-dimensional characters. Another riveting book I could not put down!

Will Kora and Derek get that happily ever after story line and what is the connection with the Dragon Kings upcoming series. Read and discover their fate in the The Bastard Duology. Another book that readers will absolutely love! I highly recommend The Bastard King and The Uncrowned King where readers finally discover the conclusion and Dereck and Kora’s fate. What a mind blowing masterpiece! A definite 6 star read for me!

Disclaimer: I received an advance readers copy from the publisher. I voluntarily agreed to do an honest, fair, review and blog through netgalley. All words, thoughts, ideas are my own.

ARC Review: This book was significantly better than the first one. The struggle to get Derek's memory back and confrontation was engaging. I was a bit confused on how he got his memory back. I felt like that transition was too fast and could have been walked through.

“If she was all she claimed to be, nothing would stand in the way of her doing what she wanted.” - Kora

“He, who had sworn to keep her safe, had brought her misery.” - Derek

“It had taken her countless attempts to create him, but she had dome it once and she could do it again.” - Miena

Being new to Donna Grant’s Dragon Kings universe, The Uncrowned King felt like getting tossed into the deep end without a life vest. It did pick up right at book one's cliffhanger, but then things went haywire. The book is a massive info dump, overwhelmed with new species and characters, which never really gave me the breathing room I deserved. For longtime fans, it might be smooth sailing. Returning readers will likely appreciate the continuity and understand the references, but for newcomers such as myself, it’s chaotic and frustrating.

The writing style hasn’t evolved from the first book. It’s choppy and abrupt, with a casual tone that comes off lazy. Perhaps that’s the English Lit and Creative Writing major in me. With the number of books Grant released in this series alone, I'm disappointed to see little growth in narrative skill. It honestly feels like she’s chosen not to improve. Character POVs shift often and abruptly, sometimes within the same chapter. Though there are clear visual breaks to help keep track, it disrupted the flow. I found myself skimming this book more than reading, which is never a good sign.

While it was somewhat satisfying to get answers and move the overall story forward, the journey felt hollow. Loyal readers will find enjoyment from Grant's predictable writing style but I wouldn’t recommend it to newcomers.

Thanks to NetGalley and DL Grant LLC for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and submitted using an academic writing style.

This book started off picking up where that cliffhanger left us. I was sucked into this one from the very start. This one had more action and was fast paced throughout most of it. I really enjoyed all the characters which makes me want to go back and read their stories. I'm sure I'll get to them all eventually. This duology is definitely worth reading!

I was so excited to get back to the Dragon King world with The Uncrowned King! I loved that we got a recap of the first book in the duology, since it had been some time since I had read it. This was steamy, magical, and a very fun read. I am now planning on reading more by Donna Grant!

Didn't realize this was a sequel so I decided to purchase the first book before reading.

It was an absolute thrill to read The Uncrowned King and I enjoyed just how quickly it dove back into the story at the start.

It was that very captivating start that pushed me to purchase the first book, circle back and read again.

Overall, it was a good read, I was hooked from the start and it kept me on a high till the end.

Action packed fantasy romance with a HEA!
The storyline was never dull and the likeable characters were like family. Kora & Derek fought for and to get back to each other every time! Then they battle against evil with their new found family, leaving you feeling happy to have been apart of their world & journey! A vast magical world with characters that leave a lot of opportunities to go back & enjoy more adventure’s. A very enjoyable read. I was lucky enough to receive a free arc of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

This book was action packed from start to finish with rich storytelling and world building. It delivers an epic conclusion to the Bastard King duology. The love story is absolutely beautiful and had me giggling at times. Would recommend to any fantasy reader.

After the cliffhanger in book 1, I had been eagerly awaiting book 2 in this duology. I was not disappointed. The story picks right up where it left off, throwing us right back into the action. Loved watching the story between the FMC and MMC play out.

The fight wasn’t over…

This was the second part to Derek and Kora’s story so you must read The Bastard King before diving into the rest of their story. Reading all the Kings books will help you a lot too as they (and the reader) navigated a world with many players and a lot of history…

The level of trust that Derek and Kora struggled so hard to gain in the first book was put to the test here with, oh, merely death on the line. Derek was once again fighting memories not of his making and Kora was in his crosshairs. Kora wanted to believe that the bond they forged so quickly would be strong enough to weather this deadly storm but even she had her doubts. What she was used life not going her way but Derek and the life they could share together, kept her fighting…

Action-packed and full of high emotion, truth and love were at stake when alliances were made and the resulting battles fought. In a world of magic and dragons, anything was possible and, uniting together, good was going to win. Or so I hoped!

If it took me a bit to get into the story, it made the read that much sweeter as the telling was packed with familiar characters and a common goal in a swashbuckling-style love story with a heart-warming conclusion…

When I was accepted for this eArc, I read the first book in the duology to prepare, hoping it would help me understand the world. It didn’t. I was still completely lost. The book introduces over 37 characters (yes, I counted), yet none have any depth or defining traits.

The world-building is just as weak. We’re introduced to fae, banshees, and other supernatural elements with no real explanation. Since this is a spin-off of another series, I assume prior knowledge is expected, but if you need to read an entire other series just to grasp the basics, this should’ve been part of that series instead.

Then there’s the pacing. This entire duology takes place over the span of just a few weeks—somehow, that’s enough time to defeat an evil genius who has been outsmarting them for centuries and for Kora and Derek to fall in love and commit to each other forever. It’s rushed, unconvincing, and leaves no room for meaningful character development.

To put it bluntly, The Uncrowned King was a frustrating, confusing mess. I was bored, annoyed, and counting down the pages until it was over. If you haven’t read the original series, don’t even bother with this one—you’ll just be wasting your time.

When I got this book through NetGalley, I didn't realize that it was book 2. I began book 1, but found myself struggling to read it because the pace felt very slow. Instead of forcing myself to continue reading it, I moved on to other books. Other people seem to love this series, but it wasn't my cup of tea.