Rylee and the Legends of Chaos thought the trials were behind them, but the Kings have one more gauntlet to run. The King's List sends the group back into high-stakes challenges designed to prove their worthiness to rule, all while new threats emerge, old secrets unravel, and the bonds between Rylee and her mates are tested in ways none of them saw coming.
My Review
3.5 Stars Thank you so much The Nerd Fam and Red Tower Books for the ARC!
Book two in a romantasy series is always a tricky thing. You’re past the honeymoon phase of world-building and character introductions, but not yet at the payoff. The King’s List sits squarely in that in-between space, and while it has real highlights, it also shows the strain of being a bridge book.
The story picks up immediately after The Never List, which I appreciated, and the brief recap at the beginning was a thoughtful touch. Rylee and the Legends of Chaos have barely caught their breath before the Kings drop another bombshell: the trials aren’t over. Enter The King’s List, a new set of tasks designed to determine whether the Legends are ready to actually rule Lumathyst. The stakes are high from the jump, and the premise delivers some of what I loved about book one.
What worked best for me was getting more intimate time with the characters as they navigate these challenges together. The magic system continues to be a strength, and losing their powers was a clever narrative move that let us see the bonds between Rylee and her mates from a different angle. The Erin storyline picked up in interesting ways too, and the faders and enhancement drugs added some welcome tension.
The problem is the execution. The training sequences are repetitive and drag the momentum down significantly. Tasks that should have felt monumental near the end were rushed past without the weight they deserved. And the big villain reveal lands out of nowhere, with zero foreshadowing, making it feel less like a planted seed and more like a last-minute decision. The cliffhanger hinges entirely on that reveal, which makes it thrilling once you get past the whiplash, but still.
Also, if I took a drink every time someone referenced “my mate” or communicated through the bond, I would not survive this book. It got a bit cringe…