A Court This Cruel and Lovely reviews: a book by Stacia Stark

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SOMEWHAT GOOD based on 5 reviews

A Court This Cruel and Lovely book review summary

While A Court This Cruel and Lovely may not stand out amid a sea of Fourth Wing lookalikes flooding bookstores, romantasy fans will find comfort in the story’s familiar characters and classic tropes.

Superb	2
Good	1
Mixed	1
Unfavourable	1

A Court This Cruel and Lovely (Kingdom of Lies, book #1) synopsis from the publisher, Penguin Books

Just hours after humans are born, the gods take what little power we have. In return, they protect our borders from the vicious, merciless fae.

The humans who manage to keep their power are known as the corrupt. And they are burned to death.

When my forbidden power is discovered, I’m forced to flee my tiny village and the life I adore.

To survive, I make a desperate bargain with the mercenary, a dark yet handsome one.

But the ruthless mercenary is hiding secrets of his own. Secrets that threaten the safety of everyone I love. Secrets that could tear this kingdom—and perhaps even this world—apart.

Publication date: March 15, 2025 (Penguin Books)

A Court This Cruel and Lovely book reviews by bloggers

SUPERB	The reviewer finds the story’s premise intriguing, where Prisca somehow keeps her powers, defying the gods that strip humans of what little magic they have at birth. Now on the run, Prisca strikes a deal with a “swoon-worthy” mercenary and his mysterious friends to help her unlock her mysterious powers. Prisca’s enjoyable character arc and her chemistry with potential love interest, Lorian, and mercenary-funnyman, Rythos, overcomes the inconsistent pacing to make this a fun read for A Court of Thorns and Roses fans. Cynthia In The Wild
UNFAVOURABLE	Interwoven with typical tropes like “fae against humans”, “from enemies to lovers”, “discovering previously unknown family members” and “a brave heroine unaware of her hidden magical powers,” A Court This Cruel and Lovely fails to rise above standard romantasy fare. While the audiobook narrators’ soothing voices help move the story along, the lack of believable romantic chemistry between the lead characters and the uneven pacing earned this book a 1-star review from the critic. That Artsy Reader Girl
GOOD	A slow first half and conventional romantasy tropes did not deter the reviewer from enjoying A Court This Cruel and Lovely. Finding comfort in the familiar, likeable characters, settings and world, this fan followed Prisca and Lorian’s high jinks up to the blockbusting ending, opening the door to more refined Kingdom of Lies sequels. Laurie Is Reading
SUPERB	According to the reviewer, author Stacia Clark serves up a sumptuous “enemies to lovers” saga featuring relatable characters, witty dialogue and phenomenal plot twists. From Blood and Ash enthusiasts will definitely love A Court This Cruel and Lovely. Star-Crossed Book Blog
MIXED	Perceiving the book as a promising premise with plenty of missed opportunities for a better story, the reviewer could not foresee themselves reading future entries in the Kingdom of Lies series. While the book begins with a promising and intriguing setup, the reviewer believes A Court This Cruel and Lovely missed key opportunities to deliver a more compelling story. They feel that without more in-depth backstories, the lead characters’ romance never really sparks as there is little chemistry or emotional pull between them. Rated 2 stars, the book didn’t leave the critic excited enough to continue reading upcoming sequels in the Kingdom of Lies series. The Little Fox Lair