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4.19 AVERAGE


The Villains do it better, baby!

Can we just talk about how much I love this book??? I just love Aon. And let’s talk about Lydia- her fire and sass is to die for 😍 The writing is amazing, she captures love and sorrow perfectly. I don’t want to post spoilers... but that ending though!!!! I definitely called the ending about half way through but it was SO much better than I expected. Before this book I was having a serious book hangover and now I’m hooked on this damn series. Can’t wait for the next one.

I struggled with this book and sadly won’t continue the series.
I found it to be a mix of captivating world-building and some pacing challenges. The fantasy realm she creates is incredibly vivid, with rich descriptions that really bring the landscapes and cultures to life. You can tell that a lot of effort went into crafting this unique setting, and it truly draws you in.

One of the aspects I appreciated most was the detailed world-building. Kingsley has a knack for immersing readers in her lore and atmosphere, which added depth to the story and enriched my listening experience. However, I did feel that the pacing was a bit slow at times. While I enjoy character development and intricate storytelling, I sometimes found myself wishing for more action and excitement and spice to keep me engaged.

I also listened to the audiobook version, and I must say that keeping track of some of the characters was a bit challenging. There were several with similar names which created some confusion.

As for the characters, while some were well-developed and relatable, I felt there were others who lacked depth. This left me wanting to know more about their backgrounds and motivations.

“King of Shadows" showcases Kingsley’s talent for creating a captivating fantasy world. Though the pacing and character depth might not appeal to everyone, I think those who appreciate immersive settings and detailed storytelling will find something to enjoy in this book.
adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

sydneyreadsstuff's review

4.25
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Wow

I mean just wow. That ending , and the book just have left me speechless. I absolutely adore everything about this series so far. The monsters, Lydia, the mystery surrounding everything have drawn me in so completely that I am an emotional mess. I want to dislike so many people but the author has a way of me falling in love with the characters, and seeing the point of view and reasoning for everyone. I do find that I am attracted to the dark and this satisfies so much for me even tho it is no "dark".
Such a seamless world and everything flowed so brilliantly. There was a hiccup or two but nothing more than a bump that does not affect the weave of the tale. I have now found a new series to stalk and it looks like there is so much more to come.

I am so glad she published these again with spice added

kelsoooooo's review

3.75
medium-paced
adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
dark fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated