A darker retelling of Disney’s The Little Mermaid with a fierce heroine and an adventurous pirate…who also happens to be royalty.
To Kill a Kingdom
Alexandra Christo
★★★★☆ (3.79)
Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most—a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever.
The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby—it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good—But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy?
From this point on you may find spoilers. Read on at your own risk.
Book Version: Paperback, 368 pages (ISBN 9781250112705)
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Fiction, Romance, Pirates, Sirens, Paranormal, Retelling
Other Things to Note: This book is a loose retelling of Disney’s The Little Mermaid and is also an enemies-to-lovers stand-alone novel.
Trigger Warning(s): sexual assault, self-injury, murder, child abuse (for a full list of trigger warnings visit the author’s website)
My Rating and Review
★★★★☆
I’m the biggest sucker for a good retelling. Especially if it’s a dark, fairytale retelling.
This book was a very quick read. I finished it in less than 2 days and there isn’t a second book, so you don’t have to worry about any cliffhangers or trying to hunt down the rest of the series.
To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo was a great light read. The use of darker elements throughout the story played a big role in my feelings toward it. It had fantasy elements, like sirens, pirates, and more but if you like those things then you’ll enjoy this book, especially if you love a good story about a strong-willed heroine who clashes with a stubborn royal pirate.
Definitely a good book to pick up if you want a quick read to get you out of a reading slump.
If you have any recommendations for retellings I should read please send them in!
