3/5⭐️ this was a solid read; I liked the writing style and the short chapters. This is the second book in The Bastard Duology; it had dragons, fae, hellhounds, magic..what else could you ask for. I just wasn’t as emotionally invested in the characters as I wanted to be. It was good, but in my opinion it wasn’t the best book I’ve ever read that’s why I rated it the way it did. I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to read this book!

Thank you Netgalley and the author for an ARC of The uncrowned king by Donna Grant. This author has been on my TBR list for awhile and I was happy to be able to read The bastard king and The uncrowned king not realizing it was part of her Dark world/Dark kings series. Book two picks up right where book 1 ended, lots of action, and plenty of cameos from characters from other books, and I am eager to read their own stories.

I want to express my gratitude to the author and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC. It’s always exciting to dive into a new book, especially one that promises an intriguing mix of dragons, fantasy, and romance.

While this book ultimately wasn’t the right fit for me, I can see how it would appeal to other readers who enjoy rich fantasy worlds and romantic elements. The concept behind the story is creative, and there’s a lot of potential for a truly immersive adventure.

That being said, I struggled with the world-building and the overall language of the narrative. The pacing felt uneven at times, and I found myself wishing for more detailed descriptions and a stronger sense of place to really bring the story to life. Some plot points seemed rushed or underdeveloped, leaving gaps that could have been filled with deeper exploration of the characters and their motivations.

While it didn’t fully resonate with me, I encourage fans of fantasy and romance to give it a try—it might just be the perfect read for someone who loves these elements. Thank you again to the author and NetGalley for the chance to experience this imaginative tale.

oh. and you are just gonna leave it like that??? what a solid conclusion to this story!!! donna has outdone herself and i recommend everyone read this duology, she’s positively stolen my heart with these characters!!!

The Uncrowned King picks up exactly where The Bastard King ended. I read these books back to back and loved both of them. There are a lot of minor characters in this book so if you get hung up on not knowing back story or keeping up with several storylines, this book could feel incomplete in areas. I thoroughly enjoyed finding out the ending and would recommend this book to anyone who likes romantasy style reads.

The book is released Jan 14, 2025! Make sure to read The Bastard King first by Donna Grant.

Thank you to NetGalley and DL Grant, LLC for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Uncrowned King by Donna Grant
Second in a Dragon King Duology

~ Tidy conclusion to the duology ~ Glad everything worked out for Kora and Derek…eventually ~

What I liked:
* Returning the magical world of dragons and other interesting magical beings
* The tie-ins to characters remembered from previous books
* Kora: believes she is the last of her species, has lived a long time, has paranormal abilities, wants to reunite with Derek, only one who can kill the evil Star Person, learns a lot and grows in this story, suffers a great deal through the story
* Derek: a dragon shifter, has magical abilities, has memory issues that eventually are resolved, learns and grows, meets more dragon shifters that he may join with in the future
* Ash: a tomte who is invisible to most, helpful to Derek, wonder if he will be seen again
* The alliance made with the dragon kings and how it works out
* The way Three Star Persons rally forces to try and take down the evil fourth one
* The strong friendships and bonds of those in the dragon kingdom
* That it was easy to hate the villains
* That all of the main threads were tied up at the end of the story – do wonder what will happen to Villettte and Eurielle
* All of it except…

What I didn’t’ like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* The Star Person who was evil to the nth degree and so deserved to die

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and DL Grant LLC for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 – 5 Stars

I was very happy that this book picked up right where the last one ended. This duology felt like it was trying to be too many things at once though. There were too many magic systems and plots all competing for the most important. The characters individually were good but out all together with their own plots made it too confusing and not a fluent read. The writing style was very simplistic and wasn’t understand otherwise. I am giving this book specifically a 2.75 star.

I highly anticipated the Uncrowned King after the cliffhanger of the first book The Bastard King!

We catch right up with Kora the hellhound as she is faced with trying to get Derek the dragon's memory back. She's teamed up with a variety of creatures and dragons and even the Vilette to face against Miena as they fight to prevent war from breaking out.

I really enjoyed the first book, but this one just fell flat for me. Perhaps it was the time between reading the books, but I felt like this would've worked better as one continuous story rather than two separate books. There also were tons of characters that I felt like had very little unique characteristics, which made it hard to track who was who and their importance to the story. Overall this book was fine, and perhaps would've been better if read back to back with the Bastard King.

3 stars

Buckle up, fantasy lovers! The Uncrowned King by Donna Grant is here to take you on a wild, emotional rollercoaster ride. Ready your popcorn and tissues, because this story has everything—heart-stopping action, pulse-pounding romance, and enough drama to keep you flipping pages like a mad dragon on caffeine.

Grant doesn’t just write battles; she orchestrates them. Her words explode off the page, turning every clash into a spectacle that will leave you breathless. With a showdown around every corner, I devoured this book faster than a dragon devours its prey. Seriously, the epic face-offs between our heroes and their foes are worth the price of admission alone.

Now, let’s talk about the feels. Kora and Derek's love story is a fiery, forbidden romance that tugs at every heartstring you’ve got. Derek, the brooding Dragon King, and Kora, the resilient hellhound, are caught in a whirlwind of lies, betrayal, and impossible odds. Add Derek’s amnesia and Kora’s unshakable determination, and you’ve got a recipe for emotional devastation (the good kind). Will love conquer all? You’ll have to read to find out, but trust me, it’s a nail-biter.

Grant's world-building? Absolutely top-tier. Imagine dragons, hellhounds, and Star People clashing in a richly woven tapestry of fantasy goodness. Zora, the magical world where dragons reign supreme, is alive with vivid details and high-stakes intrigue. The layers of alliances, mistrust, and hidden agendas add depth to a story already brimming with magic and mayhem.

Oh, and fans of The Bastard King, rejoice! This sequel wraps up the duology with a bang, tying up loose ends while introducing tantalizing new possibilities. The supporting cast—an ensemble of supernatural powerhouses—makes every moment more dynamic and keeps you guessing.

If you’re into forbidden love, dragon drama, and high-octane fantasy with a romantic core, The Uncrowned King is your next obsession. Donna Grant delivers passion, vengeance, redemption, and so much more in a finale that’s impossible to forget. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself longing for just one more chapter in this epic saga.

This was a strong sequel in the Bastard Duology series, it had that element that I was looking for and was hooked from the first page. It continued the story perfectly and had that character development that I was looking for. Donna Grant has a strong writing style and was enjoying the two books in this world.

When I received this book as eARC, for which I was very grateful, I first read the prequel, “The Bastard King” and I noticed my struggle with the style of writing in the first book already. Picking up the second in the series, “The Uncrowned King”, I had hoped for more descriptive writing, more information on the magical beings, on what’s happening around the basic actions the main characters perform – but I have to admit that it just was not enough for me.
I am absolutely sure there are fantasy fans out there, who enjoy the style Donna Grant uses, as her success shows, unfortunately, I am not one of those people. For me it needs information to create immersion instead of a huge, blank canvas and this might just be me, as I stated, maybe others have more creative minds filling up all those blanks who were left empty in my imagination.
I would like to extend my thanks to the author and publisher for allowing me to form my own opinion by granting me an eARC of this book, even if it might not be the one everyone hoped for.

I have to hand it to the writer I liked this book. Kora Derek Merrill Rhi, Merina and the other characters where fantastic. Their actions and the entertainment along with the plot in the book was most enjoyable. Thank you for providing so much excitement and some steam from a fantasy book that truly is a good read. Until next time my fellow readers. Read on!

This is a book you don't want to end. Kora and Derek start keeping so many secrets. Their story is filled with trouble, heartbreak and hope. I was so curious about Ashmadu. Such a unique species. I loved this book.

The Uncrowned King is the second book in The Bastard Duology and literally picks up where the other book leaves off. This book is best read in order or you won’t know what is happening. This book shoots off from the Dragon Kings series and the characters from those stories make an appearance in this book. Kora and Derek have been separated and the Star Person, Miena has erased his mind once again. The story pits Kora, the hellhound, the Dragon Kings, and their allies against Miena and her dragons to save the world. Action packed and quickly paced, the story relies heavily on true love overcoming even the loss of memories for our heroes to find a satisfying HEA. The characters are unique and compelling for an interesting read contained in the duology. Miena makes a very competent villain. Kora is strong and a warrior, Derek has a little bit of a hard head but comes out the hero in the end staying true to all the past Dragon Kings. This is a must read for the fans of The Dragon Kings series!. My voluntary, unbiased, and non-mandatory review is based upon a review copy from NetGalley.

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

I am so glad that the second part is out and I can find out how Kora and Derek are going to make it!

This is part of the dragon Kings but Derek is not a normal dragon since he was made by the Star People but he has been lied to and thinks that he needs to free the dragons and that the good guys are the bad guys. So, Derek has been used as a pawn his whole life and when he does start asking questions, then his mind gets wiped.

Kora, a hellhound, has been living life day to day until she meets Derek but when Meina, a Star Person, takes Derek and wipes his mind, and fills him with hatred toward Kora, you wonder how they are ever going to make it to their HEA.

As always, it takes team work and the Dragon Kings and their mates are there for Kora and even Derek.

Don't want to give away too much but there is so much going on that I could not put the book down and glad that some previous things were resolved and can't wait for the next Dragon King to find his mate!

I was hoping this would be better than the first but it just fell flat for me again. A major issue I have is the lack of description when it comes to different species or supernatural creatures. In this book there were suddenly fae and a banshee and all these other random people with no description of their abilities or what makes them different. Also, these books could have easily been made into one. This book picks up right after the first and the whole book is about them trying to defeat Miena and then it kind of just ends. And there’s no real world or character building which made it really hard to stay invested. Also the way they talk is random to me, sometimes it’s written more modern but then they also will say “ay” all the time, it just feels awkward.

In general the idea is good and the writing is not that bad, but there could be so much more depth to this series.

Thank you to DL Grant, LLC and NetGalley for the ARC!

Excellent job balancing the storyline and so many characters. It can get overwhelming at times with all the different characters and I feel like this author did a great job of bringing in information from the first book as well as continuing the story. I love a lovely happily ever after, and one that is very well written at that.

Author Donna Grant delivers a fast-paced, heart stopping love story that kept this reader up to 6 am New Years Day. I couldn’t put it down. I seriously tried but kept saying one more chapter.

This book is action packed and filled with descriptive dialogue, so the reader feels transported to another place and time. I love not knowing if the ending will be a HEA. This creates tension for the reader that can only be satisfied by getting to the ending. The author’s writing style creates exhilarating drama, friction, and deep love between her characters and this book is no exception.

I have been waiting for this book after the dramatic cliffhanger in The Bastard King, The Bastard Duology Book 1. If you haven’t read that book you should read it before you read this exciting book.

If you have read any of the author’s books you will notice that some of the characters in this Duology are also featured in some of her other series. I really enjoy it when she does this, because reading her series is like being with family.

Let me know if you like the ending as much as I did.

This story picks up where the first book abruptly ends. (Reading book one of the duology first is a requirement to understand what is happening.) Derek was taken, by Miena, to the human world to kill. All of his memories were erased. Kora teams up with Merrill and they hold Villette captive and go to the dragon kings for help to save Derek from Miena and take her down to get rid of her for good.

Kora works with the dragon kings and gains many allies along the way. The real battle comes for her when they capture Derek and he does not recognize her or remember that she is his mate. Kora has to try with all her might to get Derek to remember so they can all work together to extinguish Miena for good and save the dragons.

This book was not what I was expecting. There was a lot of potential but I feel like the story fell flat. I read the first and second books back to back and I almost think the story could have been condensed and combined into one book. I found some parts to be very descriptive and others, not so much. It was inconsistent overall and the story was slow-paced.

I would recommend you read this if you like dragon shifter fantasy. Just because I did not enjoy this book, doesn’t mean others will not enjoy it. Everyone has their own tastes.

I want to thank NetGalley, Donna Grant, and DL Grant LLC for the opportunity to read the ARC for this book.

Donna Grant delivers a gripping conclusion to The Bastard Duology with The Uncrowned King, a tale of passion, vengeance, and redemption. This novel follows the last surviving hellhound, determined to fight for her forbidden love with a Dragon King, as they face insurmountable odds in a world that seeks to tear them apart.

The story masterfully blends high-stakes action with deep emotional intensity. The chemistry between the hellhound and her dragon lover is magnetic, pulling readers into their fiery, forbidden romance. Grant’s ability to craft complex, compelling characters shines here, making it impossible not to root for their love despite the overwhelming forces working against them.

The pacing is razor-sharp, with thrilling battles and tension-filled moments that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The stakes feel higher than ever, and the emotional payoff is immensely satisfying. Fans of the first book, The Bastard King, will appreciate how this installment ties up loose ends and delivers a dramatic, heart-pounding finale.

Grant’s world-building is vivid and immersive, making this series feel grand and epic. The unique dynamic between hellhounds and dragons adds an extra layer of intrigue, and the themes of sacrifice, loyalty, and love resonate strongly throughout.

If you’re a fan of forbidden love, pulse-pounding action, and epic fantasy with a romantic core, The Uncrowned King is a must-read. Donna Grant has created a duology that is unforgettable, and saying goodbye to this world will leave readers longing for more.

Perfect for fans of:
✨ Forbidden love
✨ Dragon and shifter dynamics
✨ Action-packed fantasy romance
✨ Strong, resilient heroines
✨ High-stakes, emotional storytelling