A review by innamorare
Her Soul for a Crown by Alysha Rameera

3.0

I really wanted to love Her Soul for a Crown as much as I love a slushed Mountain Dew in a hot summer day. The premise: an orphaned poison-wielding badass named Anula, steeped in Sri Lankan mythology, ready to sell her soul to a cursed god named Reeri to topple heartless rajas? It had me vibrating with excitement. Slow-burn romantasy? Mythological vibes? Revenge? Sign me up! But after finishing this book, I’m left feeling like I ate a gorgeous curry that was missing a few key spices. 

Anula is a firecracker of a protagonist. She’s fierce, whip-smart, and her affinity for poisons makes her the kind of gal you’d want on your side in a bar fight—or, you know, a royal coup. Rameera’s worldbuilding is lush, with Anuradhapura’s (say that five times fast) golden palaces and shadowy jungles popping off the page like a Bollywood set. The mythology? Reeri, the Blood Yakka, is creepy-cool, like a demon you’d reluctantly invite to dinner because he’s got stories. When the book hits its stride, it’s a page-turner. I stayed up past midnight, ignoring my dogs judgmental stare, because I hadto know if Anula would pull off her revenge.

But here’s where the curry starts to thin out. The side characters—Bithmul and Reeri's Yakkas—are flatter than my attempts at making naan. 

Then there’s the whole “three rajas in as many days” situation, which had me snorting louder than my neighbor’s lawnmower. So, Anuradhapura apparently swaps kings faster than I swap Netflix shows, and nobody bats an eye, even during an age of Usurpers? Two new rajas pop up like whack-a-moles, and the entire kingdom’s like, “Cool, business as usual.” The soldiers don’t mutiny. The people don’t riot. The street vendors aren’t even whispering, “Yo, what’s with the raja roulette?” It’s like the whole kingdom’s been slipped a chill pill.

The pacing doesn’t help. The first half drags like my dog when she knows it’s bath time, with too much setup and not enough action. Then the back half sprints, cramming betrayals, battles, and romantic confessions into a whirlwind that left me dizzy. I kept thinking, “Slow down, let me savor this!” A little more flesh on the side characters and a deeper dive into the kingdom’s reaction to its raja speed-dating could’ve balanced things out.

Her Soul for a Crown is like a dazzling costume party where half the guests forgot to show up. Anula’s a star, the romance is okay, and the mythology is fresh, but the thin side characters and head-scratching plot holes keep it from greatness. I’d still recommend it to romantasy fans who love a fierce heroine and don’t mind some gaps—pair it with a mango lassi and enjoy the ride.