CATEGORIES: BOOK BLOG POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS, FANTASY, ROMANCE
ABOUT THE BOOK
TITLE: a court this cruel AND lovely
series: kingdom of lies
AUTHOR: STACIA STARK
GENRES: new adult fantasy, romance
PUBLISHER: self-published/ dreamscape media
PUBLISHING DATE: october 24, 2023
FORMAT: audiobook
length: 14 hour, 1 minute
narration: tim paige and meg sylvan
source: SELF purchase
YOUR TYPICAL ROMANTASY WITH A DASH OF SPICE.
GOODREADS summary
My Thoughts:
In the mood for a good romantasy, I came across “A Court This Cruel and Lovely” by Stacia Stark from my audible suggestions. With rave reviews from both Amazon and Goodreads I was eager to give it a try. So, did it live up to my expectations? Let’s talk about it.
THE PLOT
The narrative launches with an electrifying start as we meet Prisca, our protagonist, who conceals her magical abilities from the vigilant eyes of the king’s enforcers.
A dramatic twist unfolds when Prisca must reveal her powers in broad daylight, blowing her cover and compelling her to escape her village to avoid the fiery fate that awaits her on “God’s Day.” In this universe those who retain their powers past infancy are branded as “Corrupt” and are condemned to burn.
"How do you control a population? You keep the people poor and uneducated. Tell them the same lie for centuries, and tie that lie to religion."
The suspenseful witch hunt element immediately ratchets up the tension and captivated me from the beginning. Prisca’s dangerous journey, paired with the enigmatic Lorian and his band of mercenaries kept me fully engrossed. While Lorian’s motives are shrouded in secrecy until the final moments, Prisca’s objectives are crystal clear and intriguing, leaving me eager to see the story’s conclusion.
"One day soon, you will have to make a choice. Be a torch for just one soul in the dark…or burn like the sun for all of them."
Nonetheless, the plot experiences a lull after reaching the halfway point. The sexual tension and romance aspects are underwhelming, relying on clichéd dialogues and a lack of deep emotional connection beyond physical attraction.
The narrative unfolds through alternating points of view, primarily from Prisca’s perspective, as she grapples with concealing her true identity as one of the “Corrupt” and striving to safeguard others from the king’s cruelty. The slow-burning romance with Lorian also propels the story forward.
The palace intrigue could have been ratcheted up; it often felt more like a medieval rendition of “Mean Girls” than a romantasy drama. Though there are bursts of intrigue, the frequent internal monologues and dream sequences had a tendency to slow down the pace.
THE CHARACTERS
Prisca comes across as selfless and compassionate, driven by a desire for vengeance against those who have harmed her and her kind. She’s a protagonist to cheer for, yet it’s slightly disappointing to see her path made somewhat easy through the constant aid of friends, lovers, family, and even strangers. I yearned for her to solve her problems on her own.
Lorian is the grumpy to her sunshine. He is far more jaded and prickly than Prisca. He cared little for people outside his inner circle. I found him compelling at moments, especially when he tried to motivate Prisca to not give up on herself. One thing I didn’t like was his dirty talk… it’s a bit cringe.
"Don’t survive for anyone else. Survive for yourself. Survive because the thought of not surviving, the thought of letting those who would hurt you win, is so repulsive, you can’t stand it. Survive because you deserve to survive."
THE WRITING STYLE
The writing is solid through the first half of the book. However, the sex scenes are jarring and fail to add depth to the story, with dialogues that felt flat or clichéd. The palace intrigue also lacks the necessary depth, particularly when it comes to the female characters designed to counter Prisca.
IS “A COURT THIS cruel AND LOVELY” SPICY?
It was spicy, but the spice was the least interesting part of the book. I give 🌶 chili pepper.
To wrap things up, “A Court This Dark and Lovely” by Stacia Stark is your typical romantasy, seasoned with a dash of spice. The novel is built on a solid foundation, with high stakes that captivate, a world that fascinates, and characters that are easy to root for. However, it stumbles in certain areas, such as the authenticity of the romantic subplot and Prisca’s somewhat unchallenging journey towards her objectives.
The cliffhanger does pique interest, though I’m not on the edge of my seat in anticipation of the next book in “The Kingdom of Lies” series.
Here’s the KINGDOM OF LIES series in order:
- A COURT THIS CURSED AND LOVELY, BOOK 1
- A KINGDOM THIS CURSED AND EMPTY, BOOK 2
- A CROWN THIS COLD AND HEAVY, BOOK 3
- A QUEEN THIS FIERCE AND DEADLY, BOOK 4 (COMING SOON)
I’m curious to hear your thoughts on this series. What was your take on the story? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and let’s get a conversation going. Happy reading.
P.S. If this book interests you, you might love “The Serpent & The Wings of Night”. Check out my review here.