A review by justkarlah
King of Battle and Blood by Scarlett St. Clair

dark mysterious 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

4.0

I'm conflicted. I loved the fierceness Isolde carries within her. She's proud of being herself and not conforming to what others want her to be.

She was ready to be a Queen without ever marrying so that she did not have to answer to any man. But then somewhere along the way she just turns into this person that can't do anything without Adrian and can't be apart from him for more than a day. The whole memories thing also feels like she didn't have a choice in being with Adrian; she was meant to be with him because she was the reincarnation of his past lover (with the same memories and feelings and all that). So how much of it was actually her falling for Adrian, and how much was it "fate"? Something about it just doesn't sit right with me. From the very beginning, he talks to her like they've been in love forever, but he's talking to the woman he loved before, not her. Not Isolde.

Most of the characters are likeable in my opinion. The pace was perfect, kept you wanting to read the next chapter. I ended up reading 3/4 of the book in one sitting! There's quite a bit of spice sprinkled throughout the book, so if that's not something you prefer to read, it might not be for you.