The Nora Theory

An absolute must-read for romantasy fans, the Kingdom of Lies series is a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers tale that is equal parts bewitching romance and page-turning fantasy.

Prisca lives in a small village, where she has been forced to hide who she is from the world. If the King’s assessors find out that she has magic, she will be killed, along with her entire family. So she hides. Until one day, her secret is out, and she is forced to run, abandoning everything she knows.

She comes upon a group of mercenaries and makes a deal with their handsome leader with the green eyes she’s seen in her dreams. She will help them sneak into the city in return for their help learning to wield the power she has always been forced to hide. Everyone has secrets, and some of those secrets are enough to tear this world apart.

This series is set in a completely high fantasy world, but like most fantasy stories, it contains messages that apply to the real world. In this case, there is talk about tyranny and religion that give this series a meaningful feel in the midst of all the magic and sexy time.

The Kingdom of Lies series has many beloved fantasy tropes, including but not limited to enemies-to-lovers, fated mates, and the female main character finding her power. You would think it would get old reading book after book with these plots, but it hasn’t yet. When they are done well, these tropes remain something I will read time and time again. And they are done well in this series, without a doubt.

At times, the love story here is seemingly doomed. Readers are left wondering if these characters can defy all the odds and make it, and it makes for a thrilling reading experience. Not to mention that all the characters are wonderful, and as the series progresses you find yourself rooting for the side characters as much as you are rooting for Prisca herself, much like it happened in Throne of Glass.

These books are long but do not feel like it at all. Before I knew it, a hundred pages flew by. It’s easy to obsessively fly through the pages because I love this story. It’s all my favorite things. If you loved the Throne of Glass series or the Of Flesh and Bone series, this is the perfect next romantasy read.

Spice: 2.5 (and gets slightly spicier as the series goes on)

Writing: 4.5

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