Review: The King Slayer by Virginia Boecker

Posted by Jessi (Geo) on June 10, 2016 | 1 Comment


Review: The King Slayer by Virginia BoeckerThe King Slayer by Virginia Boecker
Series: The Witch Hunter #2
Published by Little Brown (6.14.2016)
Genres: Young Adult
Format: eARC, 368 pages
Source: NetGalley


3.5 Stars

Former witch hunter Elizabeth Grey is hiding within the magically protected village of Harrow, evading the price put on her head by Lord Blackwell, the usurper king of Anglia. Their last encounter left Blackwell ruined, but his thirst for power grows stronger every day. He's readying for a war against those who would resist his rule--namely Elizabeth and the witches, wizards, pirates, and healers she now calls her friends.

Having lost her stigma, a magical source of protection and healing, Elizabeth's strength is tested both physically and emotionally. War always means sacrifice, and as the lines between good and evil blur once more, Elizabeth must decide just how far she'll go to save those she loves.

My thoughts

While I didn’t quite enjoy this as much as the first book, it was still an enjoyable story! I love the world that Boecker has created, full of magic and deception.

I love the magic in this book, despite the fact that it left me wanting more. I did quite enjoy the deception at the end and the final part of the plan. It all came to a good conclusion with a nice clean, tied-up ending. No loose ends here!

“If you’d left me alone, I’d be nothing to you. But by pursuing me, you created your own worst enemy. And for that, for what you did to them, to all of us, I’m going to pay you in kind.”

Like the first book, Elizabeth and John were kind of just there for me. View Spoiler » Elizabeth was a badass, and while I see why she made the decisions she did, she tended to be kind of brash and rush headlong into a situation without using her head first, causing even more problems in the long run. I did like the inner conflict she had regarding the loss of her stigma, though! Fifer is still my favorite character, though. (She cursed – literally – a soldier for calling her a ‘cute little fig.’ Lmao!) I wish we had seen more of her! And sadly George was hardly in this book at all :(

The main drawback this book had for me was my lack of ability to connect to much of anything at all. I wasn’t invested in the characters – not to say that I didn’t like them, but I didn’t particularly care what happened to them one way or the other. I felt very detached while reading this book. View Spoiler »

Not to say that I didn’t enjoy it – it’s still an enjoyable read. It’s the kind of book that is enjoyable while I’m in the process of reading it, but it may not necessarily stick with me.

Favorite quotes

“Nicholas hasn’t dismissed me since I was twelve.” [Fifer] goes on, “Since the time I was angry at him and cursed him and made his eyebrows fall out. He looked ridiculous, he was furious with me but it was so funny…”
Did I mention that Fifer was my favorite character?

There are different kinds of strength, I know that now. The kind that wields swords and slays monsters but there’s another kind, too; one that comes in quiet but in the end is stronger and harder and more powerful: the kind that comes from inside.

I am what I am: A killer and a traitor, a sometime liar and a forever troublemaker, but he somehow found a way to love me anyway.

Overall Assessment

Plot: 4/5 
Premise: 4/5 
Writing style: 3.5/5 
Originality: 3/5 
Characters: 3/5 
Pace: 3/5 
Feels: 1/5 
Cover: 4/5 
Overall rating: 3.5/5

The Witch Hunter Duology

witch hunter king slayer virginia boecker

Overall Rating:

3 half heartbeats

Jessi (Geo)

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One response to “Review: The King Slayer by Virginia Boecker

  1. danielle hammelef

    I like that the magic created by the author was really good. I’m not sure if I’d read this book or not based on your review. My favorite books are those that make me think about them long after I finish.

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