The Umbra King by Jamie Applegate Hunter: A Review

This week is a good one guys! This week I’m talking about ‘The Umbra King’ by Jamie Applegate Hunter, which, in my opinion, is so so so good. I managed to snag both books in this duology during the ‘stuff-your-kindle’ days that have taken place over the last few months and I was so thrilled to have been able to read them for free! I definitely think that these kinds of events are one of the biggest advantages of having an e-reader.

‘The Umbra King’ is a vigilante, enemies-to-lovers, magic-filled story that I had an absolute blast reading. It is such a lovely blend of violence and fluff and I think that it is a brilliant romanatasy read. One thing i really appreciate is the depth and detail put into the plot without overcomplicating it, which made this a nice and easy read for between ARC commitments.

The plot of the book follows Aruora (or Rory) and her mission to avenge her twin sister Cora after watching her brutal murder. I adore the vigilante kind of vibe that Rory gives and her attitude is just so perfect; she really is the perfect marriage of sensitivity and sas. I think that this book follows many common micro-tropes and themes found in many fantasy books but I never found it overly predictable or slow which was lovely.

Rory’s journey of self-discovery was also something that was beautifully written. Her worries about how her friends perceive her and how her mother will cope are written in a realistic and deeply human way which makes her character so much more than words on paper.

This book was dark and twisty and crooked and I loved it so much. Seeing both Caius and Rory finding their way through both their own and shared conflicts and predicaments was really lovely. Every scene was well written and was perfect for a reader who likes to picture things like I do. The world building is fantastic and the magic system is fully fleshed out with an illustrated guide at the front of the book.

I would totally recommend this book to anyone who enjoys other popular romantasy books or is looking for a dark twisty enemies-to-lovers style slow-burn novel.

Happy reading,

- Mei xxx