ARC Review: The Half King by Aurora Ascher
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This enchanting book is perfect for romantasy readers who desire an strong fantasy plot with a curse than spans back generations. Where four noble houses are cursed, one with perilous beauty, one with destructive knowledge, one with insatiable bloodlust and one who is claimed by the shadows every night- all because their ancestors betrayed the goddess. But after a Cerise, young hopeful seer from the temple is assigned to their court, she can’t help but desire to help the half king, Kian, who disappears into the shadows each sunset.
This book had me hooked after the first couple of chapters and it did not disappoint. It had incredible world building which wasn’t too overpowering and came out gradually, mixed in with great character dynamics. Cerise was a devoted and loving FMC, which is always a nice change to see a gentle character that still had determination and fight. Her and Kian had great chemistry from the start, which was a delight to watch blossom, though the bromance and banter between Daerick and Kian was truly my favourite.
Main Tropes:
Forced Proximity
Royalty/Court
Generational Curses
Chosen One
Romantic Spice
This beautiful story follows Cerise, a devoted worshiper of the temple who spent all her life shielded from the outside world. But when an opportunity arises for a acolyte in court, she finds herself thrown into a new world where she must share her faith as a lady of the temple all whilst serving the half king, Kian. There’s only one problem, she’s only a few moons away from her “claiming day” and she’s yet to showcase her powers as a seer.
With no magic, a king that disappears every night and a generational curse looming over them all - will she be able to help them, or will the goddess punish them all?
This book was filled with faith, curses and intimate moments- the perfect combination for a romantic fantasy tale.