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The Merciless King of Moore High
Win a free print copy of this book!
0 days and 19:00:07
5 copies available
U.S. only
When the adults of Brockton, Connecticut, morphed into gigantic, bloodthirsty monsters nine months ago, the students at Jefferson High barricaded themselves inside their school.
Now eighteen-year-old Kay Kim is one of the Student Council members trying to keep her classmates from starving. Kay has no poker face and can't keep her mouth shut when she knows she's right, so when she accidentally learns a secret that threatens the delicate power balance at Jefferson, she's dragged out of the school in the dead of night and dumped in the middle of town in a secret assassination attempt.
But when a raiding party of cheerleaders from crosstown rival Moore High comes to her rescue, Kay finds herself among ruthless, hard-partying road warriors who have adopted the feudal trappings of a once-popular video game. Life at Moore is violent and cliquish, but everyone is thriving. Everyone, that is, who survives the kingdom's periodic monster hunts.
For Moore's beloved King Max demands only two absolute fealty and that everyone at Moore help kill the "dragons." If Kay wants to survive, she must be granted asylum at Moore–which means slaying dragons, not asking the wrong questions, and navigating the rival factions, love triangles, and political intrigues at court.
But when Kay discovers a deadly secret that reaches all the way to Jefferson, her inability to hide the truth might spark the revolution that burns both schools to the ground.
Now eighteen-year-old Kay Kim is one of the Student Council members trying to keep her classmates from starving. Kay has no poker face and can't keep her mouth shut when she knows she's right, so when she accidentally learns a secret that threatens the delicate power balance at Jefferson, she's dragged out of the school in the dead of night and dumped in the middle of town in a secret assassination attempt.
But when a raiding party of cheerleaders from crosstown rival Moore High comes to her rescue, Kay finds herself among ruthless, hard-partying road warriors who have adopted the feudal trappings of a once-popular video game. Life at Moore is violent and cliquish, but everyone is thriving. Everyone, that is, who survives the kingdom's periodic monster hunts.
For Moore's beloved King Max demands only two absolute fealty and that everyone at Moore help kill the "dragons." If Kay wants to survive, she must be granted asylum at Moore–which means slaying dragons, not asking the wrong questions, and navigating the rival factions, love triangles, and political intrigues at court.
But when Kay discovers a deadly secret that reaches all the way to Jefferson, her inability to hide the truth might spark the revolution that burns both schools to the ground.
368 pages, Paperback
Expected publication April 23, 2024
About the author
Lily Sparks
5 books199 followersBorn in Norwalk Connecticut, started my career in Los Angeles. Hid out in the mountains for a while, now I'm setting down roots by the beach.
I've had a million odd jobs, including:
character designer
screenwriter
soap salesman
footage archivist
Arts & Crafts counselor
award show production assistant
product designer
auction house intake co-ordinator
trader joe's chip section leader
Microsoft content writer
illustrator
Hollywood hostel front desk person
voice actor
Telling stories is what I do to be happy and help make sense of the world.
I hope you have as much fun reading my books as I do writing them.
I've had a million odd jobs, including:
character designer
screenwriter
soap salesman
footage archivist
Arts & Crafts counselor
award show production assistant
product designer
auction house intake co-ordinator
trader joe's chip section leader
Microsoft content writer
illustrator
Hollywood hostel front desk person
voice actor
Telling stories is what I do to be happy and help make sense of the world.
I hope you have as much fun reading my books as I do writing them.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
January 6, 2024
Available to read now!
Request via
NETGALLEY: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/boo...
and EDELWEISS: https://www.edelweiss.plus/#sku=16358...
The Merciless King of Moore High was an idea that grew out of my love of Tudor court politics. Reign fans will know, I've been obsessed with Anne Boleyn for years and later Wolf Hall re-ignited my passion for power-brokering under a hot-headed monarch.
The Merciless King of Moore High takes palace intrigue, marriage plots, kings and queens, and the age old human struggle for power, but centers contemporary high schoolers.
Think Game of Thrones meets Euphoria.
Also, there are giant monsters made of dead adults trying to kill everyone at all times.
Overnight, all the adults turn into corpse monsters that start rabidly killing everyone who hasn't turned. The high schoolers survive by barricading themselves into their schools like castles and forming two very different societies. Almost a year later, those societies make contact for the first time.
That's when the real drama begins.
I hope you enjoy!
Request via
NETGALLEY: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/boo...
and EDELWEISS: https://www.edelweiss.plus/#sku=16358...
The Merciless King of Moore High was an idea that grew out of my love of Tudor court politics. Reign fans will know, I've been obsessed with Anne Boleyn for years and later Wolf Hall re-ignited my passion for power-brokering under a hot-headed monarch.
The Merciless King of Moore High takes palace intrigue, marriage plots, kings and queens, and the age old human struggle for power, but centers contemporary high schoolers.
Think Game of Thrones meets Euphoria.
Also, there are giant monsters made of dead adults trying to kill everyone at all times.
Overnight, all the adults turn into corpse monsters that start rabidly killing everyone who hasn't turned. The high schoolers survive by barricading themselves into their schools like castles and forming two very different societies. Almost a year later, those societies make contact for the first time.
That's when the real drama begins.
I hope you enjoy!
December 19, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley and North Star Editions for the ARC!
Thoughts I had while reading :
this book is CRAZY I need a sequel now.
- I loveee how this started I feel like a TON of dystopian/fantasy books start with exposition and I really enjoyed how we jumped right into the interesting part that’s in the synopsis
- From the dam to the beach, Brockton will be free 🍉
- The love triangle is boring I’m way more into the political lines drawn between rooms and cliques and such !! Wish that got more (all) the page space
- Using food as a scare tactic yup !
- Re: love triangle every interaction between Kay and Leo or Kay and Brick is soooo cliche and I roll my eyes !!
- Let teenagers swear ! Especially in an apocalypse!!!
- Merlin the girl wizard is gay, yippee !!
- Genuinely idk who to trust or who is a “good guy” and that hasn’t happened in a book in a long time
- This plot is so BUILT. it makes sense. It’s linear. Genuinely it’s complicated but so smart and well done.
- There’s so many characters but they feel different. I remember who they are. That’s pretty big for such a large cast
- Kind of obsessed that this author will straight up kill her characters ! Props for that
- EPILOGUE? No. I need another book
Final thoughts
- I actually,,, kind of like the love triangle now. Because it’s not a love triangle. It’s a political mess and I’m here for it
- I’m dead serious about needing a sequel and genuinely I wish I could beta read for it or at the very least get the next one as an ARC too
One of my favorite books I’ve read this year
Thoughts I had while reading :
this book is CRAZY I need a sequel now.
- I loveee how this started I feel like a TON of dystopian/fantasy books start with exposition and I really enjoyed how we jumped right into the interesting part that’s in the synopsis
- From the dam to the beach, Brockton will be free 🍉
- The love triangle is boring I’m way more into the political lines drawn between rooms and cliques and such !! Wish that got more (all) the page space
- Using food as a scare tactic yup !
- Re: love triangle every interaction between Kay and Leo or Kay and Brick is soooo cliche and I roll my eyes !!
- Let teenagers swear ! Especially in an apocalypse!!!
- Merlin the girl wizard is gay, yippee !!
- Genuinely idk who to trust or who is a “good guy” and that hasn’t happened in a book in a long time
- This plot is so BUILT. it makes sense. It’s linear. Genuinely it’s complicated but so smart and well done.
- There’s so many characters but they feel different. I remember who they are. That’s pretty big for such a large cast
- Kind of obsessed that this author will straight up kill her characters ! Props for that
- EPILOGUE? No. I need another book
Final thoughts
- I actually,,, kind of like the love triangle now. Because it’s not a love triangle. It’s a political mess and I’m here for it
- I’m dead serious about needing a sequel and genuinely I wish I could beta read for it or at the very least get the next one as an ARC too
One of my favorite books I’ve read this year
November 7, 2023
The Merciless King of Moore High by Lily Sparks was a joy to read. Captivating at every turn, it never lagged and had excellent pacing. But where it truly shines is its entirely unique premise. Going in knowing the success of Lily Sparks’ previous series, I was concerned that we’d see a similar cast of characters with names switched around. We see this too often with authors who have had success in the past, and I was worried that the titular character King Max would just be Erik from Teen Killers in a crown. This couldn’t have been further from the truth.
This book cemented Lily Sparks, in my mind, as an automatic buy for me. Anything she writes, I will purchase and tirelessly recommend to others. Sparks is a breath of fresh air in YA fiction, a much-needed voice who doesn’t pull her punches for the audience’s comfort but still manages to write the stories of survivors (of various types of abuse, sexual assault, etc.) with respect and verisimilitude. I can’t wait to see what she writes in the future.
This book cemented Lily Sparks, in my mind, as an automatic buy for me. Anything she writes, I will purchase and tirelessly recommend to others. Sparks is a breath of fresh air in YA fiction, a much-needed voice who doesn’t pull her punches for the audience’s comfort but still manages to write the stories of survivors (of various types of abuse, sexual assault, etc.) with respect and verisimilitude. I can’t wait to see what she writes in the future.
December 10, 2023
This book was strange, intriguing and magnetic. I was giddy with the the “what the actual hell?!!” feelings it gave me. One of my favorite genres of media is an apocalyptic / lord of the flies / end of the world type story. Not sure what this says about me, but all things aside this book is ALL OF THAT WRAPPED IN A BIG BOW.
In the town of Brockton Connecticut, all of the adults morph together into bloodthirsty monsters and all of the teenagers are holed up in their high schools trying to survive. One of the schools is on the brink of starvation while the other has flourished into a shocking royal hierarchy with a king, dukes & wizards. Our story starts when one character crosses over into the opposite world causing a chain reaction of events (read: every single twist and turn is CRAZY)
This was my first read by Lily Sparks (and my first ever ARC!!) and it did not disappoint!!! I want to read all of her books now!! So grateful for the chance to read this one!
In the town of Brockton Connecticut, all of the adults morph together into bloodthirsty monsters and all of the teenagers are holed up in their high schools trying to survive. One of the schools is on the brink of starvation while the other has flourished into a shocking royal hierarchy with a king, dukes & wizards. Our story starts when one character crosses over into the opposite world causing a chain reaction of events (read: every single twist and turn is CRAZY)
This was my first read by Lily Sparks (and my first ever ARC!!) and it did not disappoint!!! I want to read all of her books now!! So grateful for the chance to read this one!
December 14, 2023
Wow! What a great way to end off my 2023 Goodreads reading goal! (Even though this book doesn't actually come out until 2024)
The Merciless King of Moore High is a fresh take on a YA post-apocalyptic story with the feels of the classics from 2010. This is like Divergent meets Gone with a twist of role-playing games. In the city of Brockton, (and likely everywhere else), the adults have all turned into monstrous creatures and all that's left are the young adults who have divided into factions bases on their high schools. Kay is tossed out of her high school and gets picked up by Moore High which has learned to survive by treating the world as a fantasy game ruled by King Max.
This book has it all: mystery, adventure, teen drama, plotting and romance. It's like the Gossip Girl of post-apocalyptic survival and you definitely need it on your TBR for 2024.
The Merciless King of Moore High is a fresh take on a YA post-apocalyptic story with the feels of the classics from 2010. This is like Divergent meets Gone with a twist of role-playing games. In the city of Brockton, (and likely everywhere else), the adults have all turned into monstrous creatures and all that's left are the young adults who have divided into factions bases on their high schools. Kay is tossed out of her high school and gets picked up by Moore High which has learned to survive by treating the world as a fantasy game ruled by King Max.
This book has it all: mystery, adventure, teen drama, plotting and romance. It's like the Gossip Girl of post-apocalyptic survival and you definitely need it on your TBR for 2024.
November 13, 2023
I unhinged my jaw and swallowed this book whole. Once again, Lily Sparks has written the kind of book that made me fall in love with reading in the first place. This story is so daringly griping and brutal, that it's impossible to put down.
This feels like Euphoria meets Game Of Thrones in the most interesting way possible. The political intrigue and the backdoor scheming everyone seems to be pulling are much more vibrant and angst-riddled with the high schools as the backdrop.
Loved this so much, and crossing my fingers for a sequel!
This feels like Euphoria meets Game Of Thrones in the most interesting way possible. The political intrigue and the backdoor scheming everyone seems to be pulling are much more vibrant and angst-riddled with the high schools as the backdrop.
Loved this so much, and crossing my fingers for a sequel!
April 3, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and Flux for the eARC.
CONTENT WARNING: blood, death, gore, body horror, alcohol and drug use.
OMG.
Lily Sparks has done it again, she wrote a book (the first of a new series, I hope!) that captured and captivated me within its pages from the beginning - so much so that I devoured it (pass me the term here because it takes on a rather macabre meaning given the contents of the book) in just two days because I couldn't tear myself away from the story and the characters.
I was attracted to this book primarily because it's written by Lily Sparks, who also wrote one of my favorite books of all time (Teen Killers Club) and gave me one of the most psychopathic and attractive bookish boyfriends ever (hi, Erik), but also because the high school setting where the kids barricade themselves inside to hide from bloodthirsty monsters reminded me of another of my all-time favorite books written by one of my all-time favorite authors: This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers.
But there are no zombies here, there is much more - and we never really know everything, we don't know why and we don't know how, but all the adults have turned into monsters and I won't say anything else so as not to ruin the surprise for you. Kay, the protagonist, tells us little or nothing because she is clearly traumatized, but we see some things about the day that changed everyone's lives forever through the points of view of other characters.
After a trilogy like Teen Killers Club, there was the risk that some characters would end up resembling others - but that's not the case. Kay is not Signal, the titular King is not Erik, none of the male characters are Javier, and none of the female characters are Jada. But the way I was involved with all of them was the same.
The story begins exactly how the plot tells us: Kay is out of school, exiled in a coup for something she discovered, in the middle of nowhere and at the mercy of the monsters - the Growns, as Jefferson calls them. But a group of girls saves her and takes her to the other school in town, Moore High. In addition to being surprised that she and her classmates are not the only survivors, she is also amazed by the way they are all healthy and not starving like them at Jefferson. But what leaves her most dismayed of all is the difference between the two schools: while Jefferson has adopted a policy of seriousness, rationality and no nonsense where everything is discussed and approved or not by the Student Council during public assemblies, the Moore lives as if they were still in the Middle Ages based on an old video game - the boy who first killed a dragon is King, his best friend Captain of the Guards, the other friends Knights, the girl who takes care of treating the wounded calls herself Wizard Merlin and the rest of the school each occupies a room with a name defining their clan and they all form the King's court.
King Max doesn't trust Kay right away, believing her to be a spy and therefore entrusts her to the custody of his best friend - and if Kay wants to gain trust and asylum at Moore, she must train and go out with the others in the next Expansion to kill a dragon. If this doesn't kill her first.
And, between one training session and another, one driving lesson and another, she discovers that not everyone is loyal to the King and that there is a faction just waiting for the right opportunity to rebel against tyranny. But she also discovers something that links both schools and Kay, who is incapable of lying, must now guard the biggest secret of all.
What else could I tell you? I can't say more.
I can't tell you the names of the other characters because I risk spoiling big things and I certainly don't want to.
I can tell you that I turned my nose up at the idea of a love triangle, but in reality the triangle never comes together because of the feelings that two of the people involved have for other people and because in the end it was just part of a political intrigue.
I can tell you that it is difficult to identify a real villain within these pages because everyone thinks they are doing the best for their people, but then you see how the new reality they are forced to live in has brought significant changes in their personality. So yes, maybe in the end someone really is a villain.
I can tell you that the skepticism felt by Kay in having to bow before the King when the King in question is a boy of her age - and when in her school everything is decided together after being the subject of a discussion - is also real for the reader. But then the story moves forward and you understand why everyone has adopted that lifestyle - whether it's out of desperation, hope or because everyone else has already done it, but believing in something, believing in the power to defeat "dragons", gave all of them at Moore a purpose and the desire to continue living.
I can tell you that you will never be bored because there are twists and turns on almost every page, court intrigues, shadowy plots, changes of alliances, duels and betrayals - you'll be anxious sometimes.
I can tell you not to get attached to anyone because Lily Sparks - as I already knew - is not afraid to kill her characters if it serves the story. And I still cry when I think about a certain death in this book.
I can tell you that I loved Brick.
I can tell you that, although the story has its own conclusion, as was the case with Teen Killers Club there is still a lot of space, a lot of margin, a lot of unknown to explore and the story can only grow - this pun too refers to the content of the novel.
I can tell you that the epilogue is something illegal and that leaves the reader astonished because it does not coincide with what was known before about the Growns - or dragons, as you prefer. So we need other answers to just as many questions.
So Lily, give us a sequel!
CONTENT WARNING: blood, death, gore, body horror, alcohol and drug use.
OMG.
Lily Sparks has done it again, she wrote a book (the first of a new series, I hope!) that captured and captivated me within its pages from the beginning - so much so that I devoured it (pass me the term here because it takes on a rather macabre meaning given the contents of the book) in just two days because I couldn't tear myself away from the story and the characters.
I was attracted to this book primarily because it's written by Lily Sparks, who also wrote one of my favorite books of all time (Teen Killers Club) and gave me one of the most psychopathic and attractive bookish boyfriends ever (hi, Erik), but also because the high school setting where the kids barricade themselves inside to hide from bloodthirsty monsters reminded me of another of my all-time favorite books written by one of my all-time favorite authors: This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers.
But there are no zombies here, there is much more - and we never really know everything, we don't know why and we don't know how, but all the adults have turned into monsters and I won't say anything else so as not to ruin the surprise for you. Kay, the protagonist, tells us little or nothing because she is clearly traumatized, but we see some things about the day that changed everyone's lives forever through the points of view of other characters.
After a trilogy like Teen Killers Club, there was the risk that some characters would end up resembling others - but that's not the case. Kay is not Signal, the titular King is not Erik, none of the male characters are Javier, and none of the female characters are Jada. But the way I was involved with all of them was the same.
The story begins exactly how the plot tells us: Kay is out of school, exiled in a coup for something she discovered, in the middle of nowhere and at the mercy of the monsters - the Growns, as Jefferson calls them. But a group of girls saves her and takes her to the other school in town, Moore High. In addition to being surprised that she and her classmates are not the only survivors, she is also amazed by the way they are all healthy and not starving like them at Jefferson. But what leaves her most dismayed of all is the difference between the two schools: while Jefferson has adopted a policy of seriousness, rationality and no nonsense where everything is discussed and approved or not by the Student Council during public assemblies, the Moore lives as if they were still in the Middle Ages based on an old video game - the boy who first killed a dragon is King, his best friend Captain of the Guards, the other friends Knights, the girl who takes care of treating the wounded calls herself Wizard Merlin and the rest of the school each occupies a room with a name defining their clan and they all form the King's court.
King Max doesn't trust Kay right away, believing her to be a spy and therefore entrusts her to the custody of his best friend - and if Kay wants to gain trust and asylum at Moore, she must train and go out with the others in the next Expansion to kill a dragon. If this doesn't kill her first.
And, between one training session and another, one driving lesson and another, she discovers that not everyone is loyal to the King and that there is a faction just waiting for the right opportunity to rebel against tyranny. But she also discovers something that links both schools and Kay, who is incapable of lying, must now guard the biggest secret of all.
What else could I tell you? I can't say more.
I can't tell you the names of the other characters because I risk spoiling big things and I certainly don't want to.
I can tell you that I turned my nose up at the idea of a love triangle, but in reality the triangle never comes together because of the feelings that two of the people involved have for other people and because in the end it was just part of a political intrigue.
I can tell you that it is difficult to identify a real villain within these pages because everyone thinks they are doing the best for their people, but then you see how the new reality they are forced to live in has brought significant changes in their personality. So yes, maybe in the end someone really is a villain.
I can tell you that the skepticism felt by Kay in having to bow before the King when the King in question is a boy of her age - and when in her school everything is decided together after being the subject of a discussion - is also real for the reader. But then the story moves forward and you understand why everyone has adopted that lifestyle - whether it's out of desperation, hope or because everyone else has already done it, but believing in something, believing in the power to defeat "dragons", gave all of them at Moore a purpose and the desire to continue living.
I can tell you that you will never be bored because there are twists and turns on almost every page, court intrigues, shadowy plots, changes of alliances, duels and betrayals - you'll be anxious sometimes.
I can tell you not to get attached to anyone because Lily Sparks - as I already knew - is not afraid to kill her characters if it serves the story. And I still cry when I think about a certain death in this book.
I can tell you that I loved Brick.
I can tell you that, although the story has its own conclusion, as was the case with Teen Killers Club there is still a lot of space, a lot of margin, a lot of unknown to explore and the story can only grow - this pun too refers to the content of the novel.
I can tell you that the epilogue is something illegal and that leaves the reader astonished because it does not coincide with what was known before about the Growns - or dragons, as you prefer. So we need other answers to just as many questions.
So Lily, give us a sequel!
January 3, 2024
ENGLISH
It is an intriguing and somewhat strange book, bizarre in some ways and interesting in others. It's between Hell Followed With Us and The Hunger Games for me! If anyone likes both books, I think this will be a very interesting read and you will love it.
It's got intrigue, gore, political/teen romance drama, and LOTS OF PLOT TWIST!
I'm not going to lie, I would have liked to know more about what happened in the Before or to show us some more specific things about the moment when the adults became monsters and the world began its apocalypse but I think that is a plus.
It's understandable that the protagonists did not want to relive those moments.
What intrigued me most about the story was the psychology behind the Moore High kids. While everyone at Jefferson takes it very literally, the characters at Moore High try to survive the disastrous events using a kind of fantasy mask to cope with them. At first the terms they used bothered me, but as I read and understood their ideology, I realized that these kids needed to believe it to not go crazy. The author, in my opinion, explored that side of the story very well.
On the other hand, the romance between Kay and Bricks or Kay and Leo did not catch my attention too much, I would have loved that kind of drama where there are love triangles in a dystopia years ago but I have read so many that now they do not catch my attention. Mind you, reading Kay's POV was refreshing because honestly, that girl is a mess and made me worry about her many times.
Overall it was a good read and I do recommend it 👌🏻.
ESPAÑOL
Es un libro intrigante y medio extraño, bizarro en algunas cosas e interesantes en otras. Está entre Hell Followed With Us y The Hunger Games para mí! Si a alguien le gusta ambos libros, creo que este será una lectura muy interesante y les encantará.
Tiene intriga, gore, drama político y de romance adolescente y UN MONTÓN DE PLOT TWIST!
No voy a mentir, me hubiera gustado saber más sobre lo que pasó en el Antes o que nos mostraran algunas cosas más especificas de el momento en que los adultos se convirtieron en monstruos y el mundo empezó con su apocalipsis pero creo que, dentro de lo que cabe, es comprensible que los protagonistas no quisieran revivir esos momentos.
Lo que más me intrigó de la historia fue la psicología detrás de los chicos de Moore High. Mientras en Jefferson todos se lo toman de forma muy literal, los personajes de Moore High intentan sobrevivir a los desastrosos eventos usando una especie de mascara fantasiosa para poder sobrellevarlos.
Al principio me molestaban los términos que usaban pero conforme fui leyendo y entendiendo su ideología, me di cuenta que estos chicos necesitaban creerla para no volverse locos. La autora, en mi opinión, exploró muy bien ese lado de la historia.
Por otra parte, el romance entre Kay y Bricks o Kay y Leo no me llamó demasiado la atención, esa clase de drama donde hay triangulos amorosos en una distopía me habría encantado hace años pero he leído tantas que ahora no me llaman la atención.
Eso sí, leer el POV de Kay fue refrescante porque, honestamente, esa chica es un desastre y muchas veces me hizo preocuparme por ella.
En general fue una buena lectura y sí la recomiendo 👌🏻.
It is an intriguing and somewhat strange book, bizarre in some ways and interesting in others. It's between Hell Followed With Us and The Hunger Games for me! If anyone likes both books, I think this will be a very interesting read and you will love it.
It's got intrigue, gore, political/teen romance drama, and LOTS OF PLOT TWIST!
I'm not going to lie, I would have liked to know more about what happened in the Before or to show us some more specific things about the moment when the adults became monsters and the world began its apocalypse but I think that is a plus.
It's understandable that the protagonists did not want to relive those moments.
What intrigued me most about the story was the psychology behind the Moore High kids. While everyone at Jefferson takes it very literally, the characters at Moore High try to survive the disastrous events using a kind of fantasy mask to cope with them. At first the terms they used bothered me, but as I read and understood their ideology, I realized that these kids needed to believe it to not go crazy. The author, in my opinion, explored that side of the story very well.
On the other hand, the romance between Kay and Bricks or Kay and Leo did not catch my attention too much, I would have loved that kind of drama where there are love triangles in a dystopia years ago but I have read so many that now they do not catch my attention. Mind you, reading Kay's POV was refreshing because honestly, that girl is a mess and made me worry about her many times.
Overall it was a good read and I do recommend it 👌🏻.
ESPAÑOL
Es un libro intrigante y medio extraño, bizarro en algunas cosas e interesantes en otras. Está entre Hell Followed With Us y The Hunger Games para mí! Si a alguien le gusta ambos libros, creo que este será una lectura muy interesante y les encantará.
Tiene intriga, gore, drama político y de romance adolescente y UN MONTÓN DE PLOT TWIST!
No voy a mentir, me hubiera gustado saber más sobre lo que pasó en el Antes o que nos mostraran algunas cosas más especificas de el momento en que los adultos se convirtieron en monstruos y el mundo empezó con su apocalipsis pero creo que, dentro de lo que cabe, es comprensible que los protagonistas no quisieran revivir esos momentos.
Lo que más me intrigó de la historia fue la psicología detrás de los chicos de Moore High. Mientras en Jefferson todos se lo toman de forma muy literal, los personajes de Moore High intentan sobrevivir a los desastrosos eventos usando una especie de mascara fantasiosa para poder sobrellevarlos.
Al principio me molestaban los términos que usaban pero conforme fui leyendo y entendiendo su ideología, me di cuenta que estos chicos necesitaban creerla para no volverse locos. La autora, en mi opinión, exploró muy bien ese lado de la historia.
Por otra parte, el romance entre Kay y Bricks o Kay y Leo no me llamó demasiado la atención, esa clase de drama donde hay triangulos amorosos en una distopía me habría encantado hace años pero he leído tantas que ahora no me llaman la atención.
Eso sí, leer el POV de Kay fue refrescante porque, honestamente, esa chica es un desastre y muchas veces me hizo preocuparme por ella.
En general fue una buena lectura y sí la recomiendo 👌🏻.
November 27, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC.
The Merciless King of Moore High by Lily Sparks is the Ren-Faire love child of the Netflix shows Daybreak and The Society.
It is an apocalyptic survival story, rom-com, and action/adventure with equal parts teen-drama, politics, and body-horror. If that seems like a lot of proverbial plates to keep spinning, fear not- Sparks handles them all masterfully.
The novel starts out in media res after all the adults in town (and presumably the world) have dropped dead and melded into bloodthirsty monsters leaving only teenagers stranded in their high schools. The action and intrigue kick off right away with the protagonist, Kay, being rescued after her exile from Jefferson High. I was immediately hooked, and my interest after meeting the cheerleaders, Brick, and the titular King Max, did not lag.
While the entire premise of all the adult corpses morphing together like a rotting megazord that brings about a Lord of the Flies-esque apocalypse is fantastical, and that one school was able to create a “Spring Break” paradise on the ashes of civilization is, dare I say it, less likely, there were moments within all the zany fun that rang true to me. Kay and Nirali especially had real moments of grief for the people that they had lost before the world as they knew it ended, and I wish there had been more glimpses of that.
It is, however, refreshing for a dystopian novel to have a main character who isn’t naturally gifted at everything after one training session. Kay has her skills, but is not enveloped in plot armour. She is relatable, and a character I found myself rooting for. In fact, all of the characters were multifaceted- the villains weren’t comically evil, and the heroes weren’t incorruptibly good- which made all the reveals along the way surprising, and kept me wondering who we could really trust.
There are some topics, like murder, starvation, familial death, and suicidal ideation, that might be upsetting for some readers, but I have still pre-ordered it for my library and will be promoting it with the same fervor I promote Teen Killers Club.
If you liked Lily Sparks’ Teen Killers Club trilogy, this is a departure from that, for sure, but still has a lot of “Teen Killers” heart shining through. I am rating this book 4.5 rounded up to 5 stars, and all I can say is there BETTER BE A SEQUEL!
The Merciless King of Moore High by Lily Sparks is the Ren-Faire love child of the Netflix shows Daybreak and The Society.
It is an apocalyptic survival story, rom-com, and action/adventure with equal parts teen-drama, politics, and body-horror. If that seems like a lot of proverbial plates to keep spinning, fear not- Sparks handles them all masterfully.
The novel starts out in media res after all the adults in town (and presumably the world) have dropped dead and melded into bloodthirsty monsters leaving only teenagers stranded in their high schools. The action and intrigue kick off right away with the protagonist, Kay, being rescued after her exile from Jefferson High. I was immediately hooked, and my interest after meeting the cheerleaders, Brick, and the titular King Max, did not lag.
While the entire premise of all the adult corpses morphing together like a rotting megazord that brings about a Lord of the Flies-esque apocalypse is fantastical, and that one school was able to create a “Spring Break” paradise on the ashes of civilization is, dare I say it, less likely, there were moments within all the zany fun that rang true to me. Kay and Nirali especially had real moments of grief for the people that they had lost before the world as they knew it ended, and I wish there had been more glimpses of that.
It is, however, refreshing for a dystopian novel to have a main character who isn’t naturally gifted at everything after one training session. Kay has her skills, but is not enveloped in plot armour. She is relatable, and a character I found myself rooting for. In fact, all of the characters were multifaceted- the villains weren’t comically evil, and the heroes weren’t incorruptibly good- which made all the reveals along the way surprising, and kept me wondering who we could really trust.
There are some topics, like murder, starvation, familial death, and suicidal ideation, that might be upsetting for some readers, but I have still pre-ordered it for my library and will be promoting it with the same fervor I promote Teen Killers Club.
If you liked Lily Sparks’ Teen Killers Club trilogy, this is a departure from that, for sure, but still has a lot of “Teen Killers” heart shining through. I am rating this book 4.5 rounded up to 5 stars, and all I can say is there BETTER BE A SEQUEL!
December 14, 2023
This book is pure chaos and I LOVED it!
Lily Sparks can have the most unhinged plots and craziest group of characters and nails the execution perfectly EVERY SINGLE TIME!
We follow two rivaling groups of teenagers, when their Connecticut town becomes home to monsters. All the adults have changed into grotesque and bloodthirsty monsters and all the kids take up residency in the schools… Kay has been exiled from Jefferson High, just left behind by her people. So she makes her way over to their rival, Moore High, where their King Max rules with a vengeance.
The characters in this book are just freaking wild! They are so over the top and simultaneously, incredibly realistic. The shenanigans they get up to are just mind boggling, but what would you do if EVERY adult was a monstrous creature? Their systems of politics and hierarchy and so intricate, which cracked me up.
I had to keep reminding myself that these are just kids, and that some of them long for their parents and the way things were before. There is fear of the inability to sustain life. There are all of the major contenders to think about in any post apocalyptic situation, like food!!
There is such ingrained humor to this book, while still giving you high stakes intensity. We get secrets, betrayal, romance, and TONS of action. This book is pretty epic! I enjoyed myself through every single minute.
Lily Sparks can have the most unhinged plots and craziest group of characters and nails the execution perfectly EVERY SINGLE TIME!
We follow two rivaling groups of teenagers, when their Connecticut town becomes home to monsters. All the adults have changed into grotesque and bloodthirsty monsters and all the kids take up residency in the schools… Kay has been exiled from Jefferson High, just left behind by her people. So she makes her way over to their rival, Moore High, where their King Max rules with a vengeance.
The characters in this book are just freaking wild! They are so over the top and simultaneously, incredibly realistic. The shenanigans they get up to are just mind boggling, but what would you do if EVERY adult was a monstrous creature? Their systems of politics and hierarchy and so intricate, which cracked me up.
I had to keep reminding myself that these are just kids, and that some of them long for their parents and the way things were before. There is fear of the inability to sustain life. There are all of the major contenders to think about in any post apocalyptic situation, like food!!
There is such ingrained humor to this book, while still giving you high stakes intensity. We get secrets, betrayal, romance, and TONS of action. This book is pretty epic! I enjoyed myself through every single minute.
January 31, 2024
So. This is both fantastic and a little clunky.
I immediately saw the book's cover and fell in love. It's based on my favourite tarot card, so how could I not? Next, the description! It reads like the Walking Dead meets a teen drama, and that's EXACTLY what this is.
The book grabs you right from the beginning and pulls you along with it. It's got a great pace, and you're immediately drawn into the horrific world the teens find themselves in. It would have been nice to have a little more world building -- the monsters are just there with no interest, theorisation or explanation. It sets them as a mechanic to cause horror and ensure the world they're in is cut off from everyone else.
For the characters, they were great, there were no totally overdone tropes, but the book did try to fit a LOT in within a short about of time. This feels like it would have sat better broken into a series. There was the introduction of different POVs a bit far into the book, which felt jarring. The book also ended on a way that I didn't feel satisfied with, it felt a bit too unresolved.
The queer rep is one of the pseudo-main characters has a something with another woman. It's main, but would have liked to pull at that thread more.
Did I enjoy reading it? Yes. Would I recommend it for everyone? No. Would I recommend it for fans of teen horror? 100%.
I immediately saw the book's cover and fell in love. It's based on my favourite tarot card, so how could I not? Next, the description! It reads like the Walking Dead meets a teen drama, and that's EXACTLY what this is.
The book grabs you right from the beginning and pulls you along with it. It's got a great pace, and you're immediately drawn into the horrific world the teens find themselves in. It would have been nice to have a little more world building -- the monsters are just there with no interest, theorisation or explanation. It sets them as a mechanic to cause horror and ensure the world they're in is cut off from everyone else.
For the characters, they were great, there were no totally overdone tropes, but the book did try to fit a LOT in within a short about of time. This feels like it would have sat better broken into a series. There was the introduction of different POVs a bit far into the book, which felt jarring. The book also ended on a way that I didn't feel satisfied with, it felt a bit too unresolved.
The queer rep is one of the pseudo-main characters has a something with another woman. It's main, but would have liked to pull at that thread more.
Did I enjoy reading it? Yes. Would I recommend it for everyone? No. Would I recommend it for fans of teen horror? 100%.
January 6, 2024
This book was So. Good. It grabbed my attention right away and did not let go. There were so many twists and turns along the way, I was fully invested. You were never sure who you could really trust and there was so much at play. Yet, it wasn't overly complicated. Everything had a purpose and everything worked together well to make a good story. The only thing I had an issue with was that, unless I misses something, only high schoolers managed to survive into the apocalypse and they all survived within their school kingdoms. I get that older teens would've had the best chance but no middle school aged sibling made it out? No elementary kids managed? Not a one? With so much other good world building, this one little detail bugged me, but maybe that will come up in future books, because I really, REALLY hope there are future books.
4.75 Stars Rounded up
4.75 Stars Rounded up
February 10, 2024
[4.25⭐️]
What a great book!
In this world where adults transformed into gigantic monsters, the students have to survive on their own and rebuild society. The premise of the story was really interesting to me so I knew I had to read it as soon as possible.
This book is filled with political intrigues, murders, love stories, betrayals and so much more. The plot is full of twists and turns and until the end you don’t really know who to trust so you are literally glued to the pages and have to read chapter after chapter to know how the story will continue.
I was also absolutely in love with the characters, we had such a diverse cast and all of them were really well characterized, like you could actually tell them apart, something that is not at all obvious!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review
What a great book!
In this world where adults transformed into gigantic monsters, the students have to survive on their own and rebuild society. The premise of the story was really interesting to me so I knew I had to read it as soon as possible.
This book is filled with political intrigues, murders, love stories, betrayals and so much more. The plot is full of twists and turns and until the end you don’t really know who to trust so you are literally glued to the pages and have to read chapter after chapter to know how the story will continue.
I was also absolutely in love with the characters, we had such a diverse cast and all of them were really well characterized, like you could actually tell them apart, something that is not at all obvious!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review
February 9, 2024
Reviewing NetGalley arc.
This fun, fast paced YA story about the end of the world and how teenagers cope and survive. The concept of the monsters and the world building was super solid and unique. The political mess and character motivations were so complex it makes you wonder for a little bit who the bad guy actually is. What kept it from being a 5 star read? Kay got a little TOO whiny and weak there in the middle and the ending left a lot of unanswered questions and no way the “solution” at the end works out. It’s a pretty weak ending if it is to be a standalone but if a sequel ever comes about I will definitely check it out.
This fun, fast paced YA story about the end of the world and how teenagers cope and survive. The concept of the monsters and the world building was super solid and unique. The political mess and character motivations were so complex it makes you wonder for a little bit who the bad guy actually is. What kept it from being a 5 star read? Kay got a little TOO whiny and weak there in the middle and the ending left a lot of unanswered questions and no way the “solution” at the end works out. It’s a pretty weak ending if it is to be a standalone but if a sequel ever comes about I will definitely check it out.
November 14, 2023
Hot dog! Was this a tense action packed ride all the way to the last page. I couldn't be more impressed by Sparks newest work. She created a world that puts most mainstream writers attempts at YA apocalypse/dystopian fiction to shame. I loved how she focused on the kids and the world they built to survive.
I would scream to the rafters if this became a TV show. Highly recommend.
Thank you to North Star Editions, Flux, and NetGalley for providing an eARC for an honest review.
I would scream to the rafters if this became a TV show. Highly recommend.
Thank you to North Star Editions, Flux, and NetGalley for providing an eARC for an honest review.
December 4, 2023
Thank you NetGalley for the advance copy.
I really wanted to like this as the concept sounded fun. But if I didn’t get this as an arc I would have DNFed.
The characters all felt fairly one-dimensional and flat. I really didn’t like Kay, who is the main character. She was whiny and disliked by those who she lives with. But nothing about her personality made her an underdog that you could root for. Rather I was shocked she was still alive with how childish and reckless she was.
The book got mildly better when we got other POVs, but the motivations behind the other characters made little sense, especially Nirali. She is meant to be a very intellectual character and one of the more mature ones, yet her actions at the end of the book are incredibly short sighted and frankly stupid.
The book did have good tone differences between our POVs and their personalities (what little we got) was clear in their chapters. I also think the idea of the Growns was very cool and honestly a horrific monster. I was the most intrigued by the Growns and how the world got that way. I would have liked more background/world building as that’s where a lot of the potential was.
I really wanted to like this as the concept sounded fun. But if I didn’t get this as an arc I would have DNFed.
The characters all felt fairly one-dimensional and flat. I really didn’t like Kay, who is the main character. She was whiny and disliked by those who she lives with. But nothing about her personality made her an underdog that you could root for. Rather I was shocked she was still alive with how childish and reckless she was.
The book got mildly better when we got other POVs, but the motivations behind the other characters made little sense, especially Nirali. She is meant to be a very intellectual character and one of the more mature ones, yet her actions at the end of the book are incredibly short sighted and frankly stupid.
The book did have good tone differences between our POVs and their personalities (what little we got) was clear in their chapters. I also think the idea of the Growns was very cool and honestly a horrific monster. I was the most intrigued by the Growns and how the world got that way. I would have liked more background/world building as that’s where a lot of the potential was.
January 9, 2024
Innovative, intense, and stuffed with awesome world building and characters, I wasn't able to put this one down. One of the most creative medievalism dystopias I've read in a while; now that's some good, good court intrigue.
Want to read
December 20, 2023A school with a merciless "king" named Max, you say?
I wonder how he feels about nerdy prudes....
I wonder how he feels about nerdy prudes....
January 22, 2024
Thanks for an ARC copy! I'm so happy to read this! Having just turned the last page of "The Merciless King of Moore High" by Lily Sparks, I am absolutely reeling from the experience.
From the very beginning, Sparks throws us into the deep end. There’s no tedious exposition, just an immediate plunge into the heart of a thrilling, complex plot set in a dystopian world that feels eerily tangible. The way the story starts sets a frenetic pace that doesn’t let up.
One of the book's central elements, the love triangle involving Kay, Leo, and Brick, initially struck me as rather mundane. I found myself rolling my eyes at their cliché interactions, craving more focus on the fascinating political dynamics within the school. However, as the story progressed, my perception shifted. It’s not just a love triangle; it’s a convoluted political entanglement that is absolutely engrossing.
Oe of the most striking aspects of the novel is Sparks’ ability to create a vivid, almost palpable atmosphere. Moore High is depicted not just as a setting but as a living, breathing entity that plays a crucial role in the story. The social dynamics within the school are portrayed with a realism that takes you back to the hallways of your own high school experience, making the story incredibly relatable.
The story doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of its apocalyptic setting, which includes allowing teenagers to swear – a small but realistic touch that adds authenticity to the characters’ voices.
A delightful surprise was the character Merlin, a girl wizard who is gay. Her representation is both casual and significant, adding depth to the diverse cast of characters. Speaking of characters, Sparks masterfully handles a large ensemble, giving each one a distinct identity and voice. It’s impressive how she manages to make us remember and care about each one in such a crowded landscape.
The plot construction deserves special mention. It’s intricate, smart, and impeccably linear. The narrative is a labyrinth of well-thought-out events and revelations that kept me guessing at every turn. It’s been a long time since a book made me question who to trust or what a "good guy" looks like.
And let's talk about stakes – Sparks looks pretty unafraid to be not nice to her characters, which adds a raw, unpredictable edge to the story. It’s a bold move that pays off, keeping the tension high and the outcomes uncertain.
The plot is a rollercoaster of emotions and twists that keep you hooked from start to finish. Sparks has a unique talent for balancing the thrill of suspense with the emotional depth of her characters’ journeys. The relationship dynamics, particularly the interactions between the protagonist and the 'Merciless King', are written with a sensitivity and understanding that adds a rich layer to the narrative.
Furthermore, Sparks’ writing style is both eloquent and accessible, making the book a smooth read. She has a knack for dialogue that captures the authentic voice of teenagers, filled with wit, humor, and sometimes, heart-wrenching honesty.
However, the real shocker comes in the epilogue, which left me desperate for a sequel. The story ends on such a note that it's impossible not to crave more of this brilliantly crafted world.
In my final analysis, I’ve done a complete 180 on the love triangle. It’s not a mere romantic subplot; it’s a crucial element of the political intrigue that drives the narrative. "The Merciless King of Moore High" is a book that defies expectations, combining intelligent plot construction with deep character development in a way that is both rare and exhilarating. "The Merciless King of Moore High" is a compelling and thought-provoking novel that goes beyond the typical YA tropes. It's a story about power, identity, and the complexities of human relationships set against the backdrop of a terrible world that feels all too real. Lily Sparks has created a world that captivates and a narrative that stays with you, making it a must-read for not just young adults but anyone who appreciates a well-told story.
Lily Sparks, you’ve earned a fan, and I’m eagerly awaiting the next installment.
From the very beginning, Sparks throws us into the deep end. There’s no tedious exposition, just an immediate plunge into the heart of a thrilling, complex plot set in a dystopian world that feels eerily tangible. The way the story starts sets a frenetic pace that doesn’t let up.
One of the book's central elements, the love triangle involving Kay, Leo, and Brick, initially struck me as rather mundane. I found myself rolling my eyes at their cliché interactions, craving more focus on the fascinating political dynamics within the school. However, as the story progressed, my perception shifted. It’s not just a love triangle; it’s a convoluted political entanglement that is absolutely engrossing.
Oe of the most striking aspects of the novel is Sparks’ ability to create a vivid, almost palpable atmosphere. Moore High is depicted not just as a setting but as a living, breathing entity that plays a crucial role in the story. The social dynamics within the school are portrayed with a realism that takes you back to the hallways of your own high school experience, making the story incredibly relatable.
The story doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of its apocalyptic setting, which includes allowing teenagers to swear – a small but realistic touch that adds authenticity to the characters’ voices.
A delightful surprise was the character Merlin, a girl wizard who is gay. Her representation is both casual and significant, adding depth to the diverse cast of characters. Speaking of characters, Sparks masterfully handles a large ensemble, giving each one a distinct identity and voice. It’s impressive how she manages to make us remember and care about each one in such a crowded landscape.
The plot construction deserves special mention. It’s intricate, smart, and impeccably linear. The narrative is a labyrinth of well-thought-out events and revelations that kept me guessing at every turn. It’s been a long time since a book made me question who to trust or what a "good guy" looks like.
And let's talk about stakes – Sparks looks pretty unafraid to be not nice to her characters, which adds a raw, unpredictable edge to the story. It’s a bold move that pays off, keeping the tension high and the outcomes uncertain.
The plot is a rollercoaster of emotions and twists that keep you hooked from start to finish. Sparks has a unique talent for balancing the thrill of suspense with the emotional depth of her characters’ journeys. The relationship dynamics, particularly the interactions between the protagonist and the 'Merciless King', are written with a sensitivity and understanding that adds a rich layer to the narrative.
Furthermore, Sparks’ writing style is both eloquent and accessible, making the book a smooth read. She has a knack for dialogue that captures the authentic voice of teenagers, filled with wit, humor, and sometimes, heart-wrenching honesty.
However, the real shocker comes in the epilogue, which left me desperate for a sequel. The story ends on such a note that it's impossible not to crave more of this brilliantly crafted world.
In my final analysis, I’ve done a complete 180 on the love triangle. It’s not a mere romantic subplot; it’s a crucial element of the political intrigue that drives the narrative. "The Merciless King of Moore High" is a book that defies expectations, combining intelligent plot construction with deep character development in a way that is both rare and exhilarating. "The Merciless King of Moore High" is a compelling and thought-provoking novel that goes beyond the typical YA tropes. It's a story about power, identity, and the complexities of human relationships set against the backdrop of a terrible world that feels all too real. Lily Sparks has created a world that captivates and a narrative that stays with you, making it a must-read for not just young adults but anyone who appreciates a well-told story.
Lily Sparks, you’ve earned a fan, and I’m eagerly awaiting the next installment.
April 8, 2024
What in the actual fuck did I just finish???
I received an eARC from North Star Editions via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. That will be coming once I let all the mindfuckery sink in.
Less than twelve hours later, and I think I’m ready to try and parse out what I thought. Maybe.
THINGS I LIKED
•The overall premise was insanely creative.
•I liked that both Jefferson and Moore had pros and cons to how their schools were run. Moore was obviously thriving compared to Jefferson being on the brink of starvation, but being at Moore was contingent on participating in Expansion (killing the Growns/dragons and reclaiming more land) and basically feeding into the ego of a tyrant. Neither option was appealing but biting the bullet and tolerating some of the less than stellar aspects was what ensured survival.
•Kay and Brick’s romance was adorable, yes it was cliche for them to think the other wasn’t interested, no I don’t care because I loved it.
•Some of the twists were well-done and it literally left me guessing up until the very end what would happen.
•Leo’s murder was devastating and showed just how in over their heads these kids were. It highlighted that disconnect they had between real life and what they thought a trial by combat would look like; that mob mentality fell away for a moment to showcase their shock that someone had been killed right in front of them. They may be the authority in this new world, but they’re all still kids, or barely adults at least, and this scene was a brutal reminder of that.
THINGS THAT MADE ME GO “HUH?”
•Navigating politics and having next to no characters who were truly altruistic got to be exhausting after a while. I was okay with everyone having their own selfish agendas at first, but it just got to be a little much seeing so many people want others dead. (Max, Tyler, Stokes, Simon, Merlin, and Nirali especially all had my blood boiling from their choices and attitudes.) Maybe I’m just not cut out for a world like this, but Starr coming in and pointing out how messed up it was for no one to actually be looking out for each other made me realize how much I truly didn’t like most of the characters. The past four years has brought out the worst in humanity and seeing it echoed here in a dystopian scenario was uncomfortable, to say the least. I realize some of them were looking for someone to blame for their grief, and others were trying to maintain order, but ffs…everyone dogpiling Kay over and over again was annoying. Switch it up a little, at least?
•I would have loved more flashbacks about Before. The revelation that Brick and Max are half-brothers didn’t really get to sink in all that much due to it being at the end of the book.
•There were at least two other schools in Brockton that may or may not have had more survivors. What were their societies like? Starr had no interest in going back to either, but I need details!
•There wasn’t really an ending. The book just stops after the epilogue, which raises more questions that won’t be answered. If there are more books coming, then this wouldn’t bother me too much, but there was so much left that didn’t get a resolution. How long will Brick need to pretend to be Kyle? What is Moore going to look like with Max and Merlin still in power but with Jess still alive? Is anyone going to get their comeuppance? What in the hell did Leo turn into and does that only happen to the dead?
NITPICK CORNER
•A good nitpick this time: Frank the dog lived! Yay to this book for little to no animal cruelty!
My opinions are all over the place, so I think three stars is the closest rating I can give that lines up with that. If more books are planned, then I might come back and change my rating, but as is, this was interesting and very different from what I usually read…so there’s that, I suppose.
I received an eARC from North Star Editions via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. That will be coming once I let all the mindfuckery sink in.
Less than twelve hours later, and I think I’m ready to try and parse out what I thought. Maybe.
THINGS I LIKED
•The overall premise was insanely creative.
•I liked that both Jefferson and Moore had pros and cons to how their schools were run. Moore was obviously thriving compared to Jefferson being on the brink of starvation, but being at Moore was contingent on participating in Expansion (killing the Growns/dragons and reclaiming more land) and basically feeding into the ego of a tyrant. Neither option was appealing but biting the bullet and tolerating some of the less than stellar aspects was what ensured survival.
•Kay and Brick’s romance was adorable, yes it was cliche for them to think the other wasn’t interested, no I don’t care because I loved it.
•Some of the twists were well-done and it literally left me guessing up until the very end what would happen.
•Leo’s murder was devastating and showed just how in over their heads these kids were. It highlighted that disconnect they had between real life and what they thought a trial by combat would look like; that mob mentality fell away for a moment to showcase their shock that someone had been killed right in front of them. They may be the authority in this new world, but they’re all still kids, or barely adults at least, and this scene was a brutal reminder of that.
THINGS THAT MADE ME GO “HUH?”
•Navigating politics and having next to no characters who were truly altruistic got to be exhausting after a while. I was okay with everyone having their own selfish agendas at first, but it just got to be a little much seeing so many people want others dead. (Max, Tyler, Stokes, Simon, Merlin, and Nirali especially all had my blood boiling from their choices and attitudes.) Maybe I’m just not cut out for a world like this, but Starr coming in and pointing out how messed up it was for no one to actually be looking out for each other made me realize how much I truly didn’t like most of the characters. The past four years has brought out the worst in humanity and seeing it echoed here in a dystopian scenario was uncomfortable, to say the least. I realize some of them were looking for someone to blame for their grief, and others were trying to maintain order, but ffs…everyone dogpiling Kay over and over again was annoying. Switch it up a little, at least?
•I would have loved more flashbacks about Before. The revelation that Brick and Max are half-brothers didn’t really get to sink in all that much due to it being at the end of the book.
•There were at least two other schools in Brockton that may or may not have had more survivors. What were their societies like? Starr had no interest in going back to either, but I need details!
•There wasn’t really an ending. The book just stops after the epilogue, which raises more questions that won’t be answered. If there are more books coming, then this wouldn’t bother me too much, but there was so much left that didn’t get a resolution. How long will Brick need to pretend to be Kyle? What is Moore going to look like with Max and Merlin still in power but with Jess still alive? Is anyone going to get their comeuppance? What in the hell did Leo turn into and does that only happen to the dead?
NITPICK CORNER
•A good nitpick this time: Frank the dog lived! Yay to this book for little to no animal cruelty!
My opinions are all over the place, so I think three stars is the closest rating I can give that lines up with that. If more books are planned, then I might come back and change my rating, but as is, this was interesting and very different from what I usually read…so there’s that, I suppose.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2024
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC
This is one of the stranger books I read this year. It is a post apocalyptic book where all the adults turned into monsters, merged together. The survivors are high schoolers who survived inside their schools.
Kay is from Jefferson High, which is ruled by the student council (who were all elected before the apocalypse). Things aren't going well, they are starving, the school is dirty and infested with roaches, and Kay learns a secret the council has been trying to keep from the people.
The story opens in the middle of the action, which was a little confusing at first but I got the hang of it quickly. If anything, it worked well that we didn't get a lot of exposure beforehand, you figure everything out soon enough. Kay is kidnapped and dropped in the middle of the city so she doesn't spill the secret, and they presume the monsters will kill her. She is saved by a group of scavenging cheerleaders from Moore High, another high school.
Moore High functions very differently from Jefferson. The school is turned into a medieval video game. the titular character, Max, is King of the school and everyone must bow to him etc. And everyone in this school has to go out to slay dragons (which is what they call the monsters). And they're actually quite succesful! Killing a dragon keeps other dragons away until the corpse is decomposed, so they use this time to put up fences to expand their safe territory.
I thought the characterization of the two schools was so interesting. Jefferson seems very organized, run by the student council, but in reality it is a total shitshow. Moore on the other hand looks like a total shitshow, and in some ways it is, but they are also quite succesful at killing these dragons, expanding their safe territory.
What I also thought was great about this book is that none of the characters are truly good or evil. Everyone is trying to survive, of course, and some people are better than others, but there were absolutely times I thought someone really sucked and it turned out maybe they don't? Politically, it's a total mess.
I was not super fond of the love triangle, the romance itself was kind of cheesy, but I did like the political undertones within the love triangle. It's not just about love, it's about loyalty, survival and who supports who.
I did love Nirali and Merlin, I think they are my favorite characters so far. Both are complex, not fully good, but I can see where they're coming from and I hope to see more of them in the next book.
Going into this, I thought it was a standalone, but the ending does indicate it's part of a series, it ends very open, though it is a well rounded story on its own. I'm curious where it's heading next.
One thing I do want to mention that I'm a bit conflicted about: in the book, the characters use the phrase "From the dam to the beach, Brockton will be free", and I think the author included this in support of Palestine, which is great, but I'm honestly not sure if this is the most sensitive way to include a reference to this phrase in post apocalyptic fiction. I haven't lowered my rating because of this because I'm honestly not sure how to feel, I truly do think the author meant well and did it out of support, but I do think it worth mentioning.
This is one of the stranger books I read this year. It is a post apocalyptic book where all the adults turned into monsters, merged together. The survivors are high schoolers who survived inside their schools.
Kay is from Jefferson High, which is ruled by the student council (who were all elected before the apocalypse). Things aren't going well, they are starving, the school is dirty and infested with roaches, and Kay learns a secret the council has been trying to keep from the people.
The story opens in the middle of the action, which was a little confusing at first but I got the hang of it quickly. If anything, it worked well that we didn't get a lot of exposure beforehand, you figure everything out soon enough. Kay is kidnapped and dropped in the middle of the city so she doesn't spill the secret, and they presume the monsters will kill her. She is saved by a group of scavenging cheerleaders from Moore High, another high school.
Moore High functions very differently from Jefferson. The school is turned into a medieval video game. the titular character, Max, is King of the school and everyone must bow to him etc. And everyone in this school has to go out to slay dragons (which is what they call the monsters). And they're actually quite succesful! Killing a dragon keeps other dragons away until the corpse is decomposed, so they use this time to put up fences to expand their safe territory.
I thought the characterization of the two schools was so interesting. Jefferson seems very organized, run by the student council, but in reality it is a total shitshow. Moore on the other hand looks like a total shitshow, and in some ways it is, but they are also quite succesful at killing these dragons, expanding their safe territory.
What I also thought was great about this book is that none of the characters are truly good or evil. Everyone is trying to survive, of course, and some people are better than others, but there were absolutely times I thought someone really sucked and it turned out maybe they don't? Politically, it's a total mess.
I was not super fond of the love triangle, the romance itself was kind of cheesy, but I did like the political undertones within the love triangle. It's not just about love, it's about loyalty, survival and who supports who.
I did love Nirali and Merlin, I think they are my favorite characters so far. Both are complex, not fully good, but I can see where they're coming from and I hope to see more of them in the next book.
Going into this, I thought it was a standalone, but the ending does indicate it's part of a series, it ends very open, though it is a well rounded story on its own. I'm curious where it's heading next.
One thing I do want to mention that I'm a bit conflicted about: in the book, the characters use the phrase "From the dam to the beach, Brockton will be free", and I think the author included this in support of Palestine, which is great, but I'm honestly not sure if this is the most sensitive way to include a reference to this phrase in post apocalyptic fiction. I haven't lowered my rating because of this because I'm honestly not sure how to feel, I truly do think the author meant well and did it out of support, but I do think it worth mentioning.
December 1, 2023
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
It has been awhile since I've read a YA dystopian and this was a lovely return to that genre that was so popular at the turn of the century. We have all the hallmarks here: society collapsed, teens fighting each other to survive, offbeat romances, and a lot of blood and guts. In all, it is good fun and I can't help but feel this would have been a big hit 20 years ago.Story: Not too long ago, all adults suddenly mutated and turned into giant monsters that killed everything they saw. A lot of high schoolers survived by holing up and turning their schools into fortresses. Kay is one of those teens who, unfortunately for her, discovered a secret about her starving school enclave and was summarily sentenced to death by exile. When she is picked up by scavengers from the school across town, she finds herself in a very different environment: instead of the democracy of Jefferson High, Moore High is run by a 'King' who fashioned their new society after one of his computer games. It is still just as deadly, though, and with as many secrets. But unlike Jefferson, these students aren't afraid to go out and fight the 'growns' and aren't on the brink of starvation. Kay will have to make the right alliances to survive Moore - not just the monsters outside but the ones within their society as well.
The story has several POVs but primarily we follow Kay and Moore High 'enforcer' Brick. There are a few other POVs, including from one of the student council leaders at Jefferson High, but for the most part, this is Kay and Brick's story.
The action is fun and intense. Because the book is so engrossing, you don't really stop to take the time to wonder what exactly happened and why the adults mutated so suddenly and then merged into huge grotesque monster conglomerations. Instead, it's more fun watching all the intrigue, politics, and survival stories of the teens. So if anyone has been missing a good post apocalyptic YA romp, this one hits the spot.
The merciless King of Moore High is definitely one of the better reads this year. Don't look too deep at the world building on a grand scale and instead appreciate all the fun world building on a smaller scale with the 'societies' at the enclaves of two high schools. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
February 18, 2024
The Merciless King of Moore High
Lily Sparks
April 23, 2024
The adults of Brockton, Connecticut have all turned into monsters, and we can assume the whole world as well. Only the children and teenagers remain— those that survived the initial change. Jefferson High is the safe space for its remaining students but probably not for long. Everyone is slowly starving to death. Kay wants to do a big Costco trip to get food and supplies, but there is significant pushback from some of the other Student Council members. One evening, she is kidnapped and left for dead. A scavenger team from another high school in the area, Moore High, find her and bring her back. Jefferson High existed under the control of the existing Student Council but Moore High is run like the Middle Ages and it is thriving. Kay’s arrival threatens to overturn this peaceful facade.
The book had an interesting premise. The lack of knowledge about what happened to all the adults and what may happen to the teenagers as they grow is realistic. The book had you learn about this new world alongside the characters because in the book timeline, it has been less than a year since it first happened. I don’t know if this will remain a standalone or become a series, but if the book remains a standalone, the book becomes unfulfilling to me. The book just ends and the epilogue introduces a whole new twist that may never be explored which makes you think “what’s the point”? Not every book needs to have a perfect now to wrap up the end because that’s not how the real world works. This book is also revolving around teenagers and no one can say they would have been able to survive a dystopian future or make rational decisions when your brain is still developing. However, the characters are almost always working against themselves and those around them at every turn, which can be frustrating. I did enjoy the changing of point of views because the first POV, Kay, was very annoying to me and it grew more annoying as the book went on.
I did see a few author blurbs mention King Arthur’s court which definitely tinged this book differently when I started. This book is most definitely not a King Arthur retelling or twist besides the name Merlin being used by the right hand woman of the King. This most likely changed my expectations which I should have checked at the door when starting. If you enjoy a post-apocalyptic universe and teen drama, this book is for
you.
#netgalley #themercilesskingofmoorehigh
#northstareditions
Lily Sparks
April 23, 2024
The adults of Brockton, Connecticut have all turned into monsters, and we can assume the whole world as well. Only the children and teenagers remain— those that survived the initial change. Jefferson High is the safe space for its remaining students but probably not for long. Everyone is slowly starving to death. Kay wants to do a big Costco trip to get food and supplies, but there is significant pushback from some of the other Student Council members. One evening, she is kidnapped and left for dead. A scavenger team from another high school in the area, Moore High, find her and bring her back. Jefferson High existed under the control of the existing Student Council but Moore High is run like the Middle Ages and it is thriving. Kay’s arrival threatens to overturn this peaceful facade.
The book had an interesting premise. The lack of knowledge about what happened to all the adults and what may happen to the teenagers as they grow is realistic. The book had you learn about this new world alongside the characters because in the book timeline, it has been less than a year since it first happened. I don’t know if this will remain a standalone or become a series, but if the book remains a standalone, the book becomes unfulfilling to me. The book just ends and the epilogue introduces a whole new twist that may never be explored which makes you think “what’s the point”? Not every book needs to have a perfect now to wrap up the end because that’s not how the real world works. This book is also revolving around teenagers and no one can say they would have been able to survive a dystopian future or make rational decisions when your brain is still developing. However, the characters are almost always working against themselves and those around them at every turn, which can be frustrating. I did enjoy the changing of point of views because the first POV, Kay, was very annoying to me and it grew more annoying as the book went on.
I did see a few author blurbs mention King Arthur’s court which definitely tinged this book differently when I started. This book is most definitely not a King Arthur retelling or twist besides the name Merlin being used by the right hand woman of the King. This most likely changed my expectations which I should have checked at the door when starting. If you enjoy a post-apocalyptic universe and teen drama, this book is for
you.
#netgalley #themercilesskingofmoorehigh
#northstareditions
February 26, 2024
Thanks to Netgally for providing this ARC.
I really liked this one! Blew through it in 24 hours and I thought it was a very fun romp through post apocalyptic suburbia through the eyes of teenagers. There was just something very playful about the visual of a bunch of cheerleaders riding a jeep through subdivisions looting houses and fighting monsters.
The book shows the pov of three characters: Kay, Nirali, and Brick. Kay -- exiled for uncovering a secret she couldn't keep, Nirali -- trying to find a beacon of hope for her school in trying times, and Brick -- navigating the balance of power between his best friend (King Max!) and Kay, the intriguing new rescue.
After all of the adults in the world morphed and merged into monsters, the children left behind were forced to band together to stay alive. When Kay, secretary of the student council at Jefferson High is kidnapped and dumped in the woods in the middle of the night, she is rescued by students from crosstown rival Moore High. After gaining sanctuary, she finds herself a part of the Court of King Max, a student who has styled himself after a video game character, and who rallies the students to kill the 'Dragons' terrorizing those still left alive.
Kay is quickly enmeshed in the court intrigue between King Max, Merlin, Brick (stoic and scarred knight of the kingdom), and those who wish to dethrone him. Add in the cross town school rivalry and you get one part mystery and one part political maneuvering which leads to a very entertaining read.
Again, I really had fun with this one, but I have two minor comments I want to share:
1. Given the title and the names of the characters, I really expected more King Arthur related content. There's a Merlin and a Kay and an Arthur, but it was sometimes hard to tell who else corresponded to the myth, and how the plot related to the old legends. This is only book one so perhaps time will tell but I spent a lot of energy looking for parallels I couldn't find.
2. The plot twist at the end was truly CW worthy. Which makes sense, given that this author is a former CW writer. I didn't love it because it's not a trope I'm particularly fond of, but it certainly will be exciting for some!
I really liked this one! Blew through it in 24 hours and I thought it was a very fun romp through post apocalyptic suburbia through the eyes of teenagers. There was just something very playful about the visual of a bunch of cheerleaders riding a jeep through subdivisions looting houses and fighting monsters.
The book shows the pov of three characters: Kay, Nirali, and Brick. Kay -- exiled for uncovering a secret she couldn't keep, Nirali -- trying to find a beacon of hope for her school in trying times, and Brick -- navigating the balance of power between his best friend (King Max!) and Kay, the intriguing new rescue.
After all of the adults in the world morphed and merged into monsters, the children left behind were forced to band together to stay alive. When Kay, secretary of the student council at Jefferson High is kidnapped and dumped in the woods in the middle of the night, she is rescued by students from crosstown rival Moore High. After gaining sanctuary, she finds herself a part of the Court of King Max, a student who has styled himself after a video game character, and who rallies the students to kill the 'Dragons' terrorizing those still left alive.
Kay is quickly enmeshed in the court intrigue between King Max, Merlin, Brick (stoic and scarred knight of the kingdom), and those who wish to dethrone him. Add in the cross town school rivalry and you get one part mystery and one part political maneuvering which leads to a very entertaining read.
Again, I really had fun with this one, but I have two minor comments I want to share:
1. Given the title and the names of the characters, I really expected more King Arthur related content. There's a Merlin and a Kay and an Arthur, but it was sometimes hard to tell who else corresponded to the myth, and how the plot related to the old legends. This is only book one so perhaps time will tell but I spent a lot of energy looking for parallels I couldn't find.
2. The plot twist at the end was truly CW worthy. Which makes sense, given that this author is a former CW writer. I didn't love it because it's not a trope I'm particularly fond of, but it certainly will be exciting for some!
March 24, 2024
oh my god. This book. Where do I start??
I've read 6 books from NetGalley until this one, and of course, all of them were special and good in their own ways, but none of them made me want to scream, push my face into a pillow, or put a countdown in my calendar so I can order this book asap when it comes in stores. This book though, this book did all of that.
I unhinged my jaw and swallowed this book whole. I Literally did not do anything today besides sitting in bed, holding my phone and reading this book with music in the background.
The Merciless King of Moore High is an apocalyptic survival story, rom-com, and action/adventure with equal parts teen-drama, politics, and body-horror. Basically everything I LOVE. Even if that's not your cup of tea specifically, I still don't doubt you'll love it as much as I did.
The story has several POVs but primarily we follow Kay and Moore High 'enforcer' Brick. There are a few other POVs, including from one of the student council leaders at Jefferson High, but for the most part, this is Kay and Brick's story. I always love when a book has different POVs, and this did not disappoint. Amazing.
God, and the writing? Where do I start. I don't think I've ever read a book that describes body horror and monsters as good as this one, and I've read A LOT of them. The writing was so clever and satisfying, a true reminder that I actually love reading. The characters, also, were simply amazing. Each one of them stood out for different reasons, but mainly because of their personalities. I legit fell in love with all of them. Well, maybe not all, if you know what I mean. But still. Even the "villains" of the stories were written so good that I might have sympathised with them half of the story, even without wanting to.
For the record, I just added the author's other books to my shopping cart, and I can't wait to read them.
Thank you so much to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this truly outstanding book in advance!
I've read 6 books from NetGalley until this one, and of course, all of them were special and good in their own ways, but none of them made me want to scream, push my face into a pillow, or put a countdown in my calendar so I can order this book asap when it comes in stores. This book though, this book did all of that.
I unhinged my jaw and swallowed this book whole. I Literally did not do anything today besides sitting in bed, holding my phone and reading this book with music in the background.
The Merciless King of Moore High is an apocalyptic survival story, rom-com, and action/adventure with equal parts teen-drama, politics, and body-horror. Basically everything I LOVE. Even if that's not your cup of tea specifically, I still don't doubt you'll love it as much as I did.
The story has several POVs but primarily we follow Kay and Moore High 'enforcer' Brick. There are a few other POVs, including from one of the student council leaders at Jefferson High, but for the most part, this is Kay and Brick's story. I always love when a book has different POVs, and this did not disappoint. Amazing.
God, and the writing? Where do I start. I don't think I've ever read a book that describes body horror and monsters as good as this one, and I've read A LOT of them. The writing was so clever and satisfying, a true reminder that I actually love reading. The characters, also, were simply amazing. Each one of them stood out for different reasons, but mainly because of their personalities. I legit fell in love with all of them. Well, maybe not all, if you know what I mean. But still. Even the "villains" of the stories were written so good that I might have sympathised with them half of the story, even without wanting to.
For the record, I just added the author's other books to my shopping cart, and I can't wait to read them.
Thank you so much to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this truly outstanding book in advance!
April 11, 2024
Overall Impressions: I genuinely could not put this down. The horror/apocalypse/event is not explored super thoroughly, because the real terror is the dystopian set up created by teenagers in its wake. You almost forget at points that this isn’t just political intrigue/a murder mystery, and then a giant monster barrels in to remind you. I never knew who I could trust or who was “right” or “wrong” throughout the whole story and I found it absolutely fascinating. Really, really enjoyably weird read.
Worldbuilding: This book is hyper focused on a very small portion of the world and never zooms out to tell you more. The main characters don’t know what happened with the rest of the world (or even beyond their own high school) so neither do you. The main characters don’t understand what creates or motivates the Growns, so neither do you. I did wish for a lot more information on them but on the other hand, I LOVE that the story just plunks you down in the middle without a ton of exposition or info dumping.
Characters: Most of the characters were unlikable (on purpose!) and utterly untrustworthy but they always kept me guessing. I really liked Kay, even when I was shouting for her to just stop talking, and Brick was probably my second favorite character even if he clearly makes flawed decisions. I wish we had learned more about Starr but ultimately the book did a great job of keeping so many POVs distinct and interesting.
Plot: A million twists and turns, and yet it all made sense in a general way. I was shocked by some of the revelations but afterward they did make logical sense. If this doesn't have a sequel, I think the ending is actually incredibly disappointing (not necessarily a TRUE cliffhanger but a lot left unwrapped up) but if it does, I'll happily read it.
Pacing/prose: fast paced throughout, with constant action on action on action.
Recommend/Read More? Absolutely. I am hoping this gets a sequel because there is so much left to explore in this story.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me an advanced copy to review!
Worldbuilding: This book is hyper focused on a very small portion of the world and never zooms out to tell you more. The main characters don’t know what happened with the rest of the world (or even beyond their own high school) so neither do you. The main characters don’t understand what creates or motivates the Growns, so neither do you. I did wish for a lot more information on them but on the other hand, I LOVE that the story just plunks you down in the middle without a ton of exposition or info dumping.
Characters: Most of the characters were unlikable (on purpose!) and utterly untrustworthy but they always kept me guessing. I really liked Kay, even when I was shouting for her to just stop talking, and Brick was probably my second favorite character even if he clearly makes flawed decisions. I wish we had learned more about Starr but ultimately the book did a great job of keeping so many POVs distinct and interesting.
Plot: A million twists and turns, and yet it all made sense in a general way. I was shocked by some of the revelations but afterward they did make logical sense. If this doesn't have a sequel, I think the ending is actually incredibly disappointing (not necessarily a TRUE cliffhanger but a lot left unwrapped up) but if it does, I'll happily read it.
Pacing/prose: fast paced throughout, with constant action on action on action.
Recommend/Read More? Absolutely. I am hoping this gets a sequel because there is so much left to explore in this story.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me an advanced copy to review!
November 12, 2023
I like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me a chance at this really interesting read!
Do you remember the show, The Tribe? If you didn't, let me clue you in: Australian show, took place in the 90's, adults were wiped out by a disease leaving teens and younger kids / babies alone on the earth. With no one to guide them and say no, the world became theirs for the taking and they mad-max'd out and formed tribes. Went on for a while.
In this, adults became infected / taken over by some strange sickness that makes them converge into monsters the size of schoolbuses. Very blob like things that absolutely tear you to bits.
We meet our protagonist, Kay, trying to outrun one. When she thinks all hope is lost, she is saved by some 'cheerleaders' who belong to a different school. They take her back to their school and she and you realize, this school is run by different rules. Their lifestyle / hierarchy is dictated by the rules of court, based on video game played by the first person to kill one of these creatures. And that's how the story begins.
I think this book is a 3.5 in terms of story / world building and character. The biggest problems is that while everyone is playing court very little time is focused / spent on the creatures and trying to understand what they are and why they are. I'm not saying that one of these kids can find the solution (because I don't think I could figure out the solution), but I think I would have liked more time spent killing these things. On the other hand, I loved the court intrigue / political stuff going on.
The end has one of those endings that has me absolutely needing book two. I need to know what happens to Max, "Kyle", his queen, and Kay. I feel that things are going to get much more complicated from here on out.
Do you remember the show, The Tribe? If you didn't, let me clue you in: Australian show, took place in the 90's, adults were wiped out by a disease leaving teens and younger kids / babies alone on the earth. With no one to guide them and say no, the world became theirs for the taking and they mad-max'd out and formed tribes. Went on for a while.
In this, adults became infected / taken over by some strange sickness that makes them converge into monsters the size of schoolbuses. Very blob like things that absolutely tear you to bits.
We meet our protagonist, Kay, trying to outrun one. When she thinks all hope is lost, she is saved by some 'cheerleaders' who belong to a different school. They take her back to their school and she and you realize, this school is run by different rules. Their lifestyle / hierarchy is dictated by the rules of court, based on video game played by the first person to kill one of these creatures. And that's how the story begins.
I think this book is a 3.5 in terms of story / world building and character. The biggest problems is that while everyone is playing court very little time is focused / spent on the creatures and trying to understand what they are and why they are. I'm not saying that one of these kids can find the solution (because I don't think I could figure out the solution), but I think I would have liked more time spent killing these things. On the other hand, I loved the court intrigue / political stuff going on.
The end has one of those endings that has me absolutely needing book two. I need to know what happens to Max, "Kyle", his queen, and Kay. I feel that things are going to get much more complicated from here on out.
January 16, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley and Flux for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Merciless King of Moore High follows Kay Kim, a student council member trying to ensure her classmates survive in their turned upside down town. Nine months ago, the adults transformed into huge bloodthirsty monsters and the kids have barricaded themselves in their school. Kay has been forced out of her school, Jefferson High, after learning a secret but is rescued by cheerleaders from rival Moore High. The biggest catch, is that the students at Moore High go on monster hunts and thriving there depends on being brave. Kay has to navigate slaying dragons, court politics, and love triangles to create a new home. Except, she discovers another secret that might destroy both schools.
I struggled a bit with this book. Normally, I love all things dystopian and post-apocalyptic survival stories of a wide variety. However, this book just didn’t do it for me. The characters fell a little flat and the twist, while unique, of having Kings and Arthurian character roles and names, wasn’t something I entirely enjoyed. I definitely think a lot of other people will love this twist, and I think this is more a case of it’s me and not the book.
I thought the Growns/dragons were super cool and I loved this unique take on the genre and monsters. I would’ve preferred more world-building, but I did find everything to be explained well. I liked that the book had multiple POVs as it really kept the pace moving quickly and it was nice to be able to hear from the kids at both schools. I thought the high school clique drama was done well and something a lot of teenagers will enjoy.
Overall, I think a lot of youth/high schoolers will really love this book, but it ultimately wasn’t for me.
The Merciless King of Moore High follows Kay Kim, a student council member trying to ensure her classmates survive in their turned upside down town. Nine months ago, the adults transformed into huge bloodthirsty monsters and the kids have barricaded themselves in their school. Kay has been forced out of her school, Jefferson High, after learning a secret but is rescued by cheerleaders from rival Moore High. The biggest catch, is that the students at Moore High go on monster hunts and thriving there depends on being brave. Kay has to navigate slaying dragons, court politics, and love triangles to create a new home. Except, she discovers another secret that might destroy both schools.
I struggled a bit with this book. Normally, I love all things dystopian and post-apocalyptic survival stories of a wide variety. However, this book just didn’t do it for me. The characters fell a little flat and the twist, while unique, of having Kings and Arthurian character roles and names, wasn’t something I entirely enjoyed. I definitely think a lot of other people will love this twist, and I think this is more a case of it’s me and not the book.
I thought the Growns/dragons were super cool and I loved this unique take on the genre and monsters. I would’ve preferred more world-building, but I did find everything to be explained well. I liked that the book had multiple POVs as it really kept the pace moving quickly and it was nice to be able to hear from the kids at both schools. I thought the high school clique drama was done well and something a lot of teenagers will enjoy.
Overall, I think a lot of youth/high schoolers will really love this book, but it ultimately wasn’t for me.
November 30, 2023
First, thanks to NetGalley and Flux North Star Editions for the free eARC in exchange for my unfettered opinion.
A beautiful cover got me started on this novel, which combines horror, high-school politics, and budding love in a dizzying, suspenseful, and entertaining concoction.
Something happened last year. Something really awful that took out all the adults and left in their place large conglomerate monsters with a murderous hate for their former students, children, fellow humans. The kids at Jefferson High barricaded themselves in the school building when it happened. The Student Council have been working to keep things together, but food is getting short, and class secretary Kay Kim just can't keep a secret.
Which is how she ends up with her wrists zip-tied, outside the school, at the mercy of the "Growns." But Jefferson is not the only high school with survivors: Moore High, one of the rougher schools in Brockton, Connecticut, seems to be doing great: they have food, light, a plan for expansion, and the skills to kill what they call "Dragons." They also have a king, and he allows Kay to come to Moore, but she and her inability to dissemble are on a collision course with more trouble.
This novel was a pure delight for me: wonderfully novel monsters, a sort of Lord-of-the-Flies flavor with believable young people trying to do the best they can in choosing their own form of governance, action, double-crossings, a variety of romantic entanglements, and an ending that we can hope hints for a sequel...
A beautiful cover got me started on this novel, which combines horror, high-school politics, and budding love in a dizzying, suspenseful, and entertaining concoction.
Something happened last year. Something really awful that took out all the adults and left in their place large conglomerate monsters with a murderous hate for their former students, children, fellow humans. The kids at Jefferson High barricaded themselves in the school building when it happened. The Student Council have been working to keep things together, but food is getting short, and class secretary Kay Kim just can't keep a secret.
Which is how she ends up with her wrists zip-tied, outside the school, at the mercy of the "Growns." But Jefferson is not the only high school with survivors: Moore High, one of the rougher schools in Brockton, Connecticut, seems to be doing great: they have food, light, a plan for expansion, and the skills to kill what they call "Dragons." They also have a king, and he allows Kay to come to Moore, but she and her inability to dissemble are on a collision course with more trouble.
This novel was a pure delight for me: wonderfully novel monsters, a sort of Lord-of-the-Flies flavor with believable young people trying to do the best they can in choosing their own form of governance, action, double-crossings, a variety of romantic entanglements, and an ending that we can hope hints for a sequel...
March 29, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc.
All opinions are my own. This is a no-spoiler review.
4.5 Stars
Oh wow, that was one hell of a ride!!! I knew that this was right up my alley only by reading the summary. And I was right. I loved it. This books genre is somewhere between horror, dystopian/apocalyptic ya, nerdy video game and highschool drama. That sounds like an absolut crazy mix, but it thoroughly worked for me. If you want a book that has a little bit of body horror, a touch of the fantasy-vibe with political intrigue, but make it highschool...this book is definitly for you.
I absolutely adored the characters and all of their weird storylines. Especially with the multiple pov's, you really get an inside view on why certain characters act/make decisions the way they do. However I found it a bit difficult at the end to follow exactly what was happening. BUT I think it's because English is not my first language...after reading it a second time, I got all the details;)))
The pacing of the book was fantastic. I did not feel bored for a second. I was hooked as soon as I read the first page and I finished the book in one and a half days. I simply could not put it down.
I also really appreciated the queer representation and just in general the diverse character cast.
I really hope that there will be a sequel! I don't want to say goodbye to these characters just yet...I feel like there's a lot more coming for them!
All opinions are my own. This is a no-spoiler review.
4.5 Stars
Oh wow, that was one hell of a ride!!! I knew that this was right up my alley only by reading the summary. And I was right. I loved it. This books genre is somewhere between horror, dystopian/apocalyptic ya, nerdy video game and highschool drama. That sounds like an absolut crazy mix, but it thoroughly worked for me. If you want a book that has a little bit of body horror, a touch of the fantasy-vibe with political intrigue, but make it highschool...this book is definitly for you.
I absolutely adored the characters and all of their weird storylines. Especially with the multiple pov's, you really get an inside view on why certain characters act/make decisions the way they do. However I found it a bit difficult at the end to follow exactly what was happening. BUT I think it's because English is not my first language...after reading it a second time, I got all the details;)))
The pacing of the book was fantastic. I did not feel bored for a second. I was hooked as soon as I read the first page and I finished the book in one and a half days. I simply could not put it down.
I also really appreciated the queer representation and just in general the diverse character cast.
I really hope that there will be a sequel! I don't want to say goodbye to these characters just yet...I feel like there's a lot more coming for them!
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