Burn the Kingdom Down by Addie Thorley is a young adult enemies-to-lovers romantasy where a second-born princess infiltrates an enemy kingdom to avenge her sister’s suspicious death, only to discover that the truth behind that death, and the kingdom she was taught to hate, is far more complicated than she imagined. What starts as a revenge-driven premise quickly shifts into something more uncertain, as Indira navigates grief, political tension, and a marriage she never wanted. With enemies-to-lovers tension, memory-based magic, and a mystery at its core, the novel sets itself up as a thrilling story about vengeance, truth, and the real cost of both.

I really wanted to love this one. The premise alone is so compelling: a crown princess is sent away in chains, returns home dead, and her younger sister steps into her place with a plan to infiltrate, investigate, and burn everything down if necessary to get revenge. I mean, a title like Burn the Kingdom Down sets a very specific expectation, and for me, that expectation was feminine rage! I was ready for sharp edges, decisive action, and a heroine actively pursuing vengeance. Instead, much of the story feels far more internal and, at times, very static.

Indira is a character with a lot of potential. I liked the idea of her as the “spare,” someone not raised to rule, yet suddenly forced into a role that requires both political strategy and emotional resilience, all while she’s grieving her sister’s death. There’s something inherently interesting about a character who is underestimated by everyone around her but still determined to succeed. Her magic, too, stood out to me. The ability to nurture and grow plants initially reads as soft or passive, but the story does a nice job of showing how powerful that kind of magic can be. That contrast between perceived weakness and actual strength is one of the more compelling elements of her character.

That said, spending time in Indira’s head was often where the book lost me. Much of the narrative is driven by her internal monologue, and it tends to circle the same doubts and suspicions without evolving in a way that feels engaging. Indira second-guesses herself constantly, and while some of that makes sense given her circumstances, it starts to feel repetitive rather than illuminating. The repeated conversations she has with an imagined version of her sister, Rowenna, especially stand out. What could have been an interesting way to explore grief and memory instead drags on for way too long.

Where the book really shines is in its worldbuilding and magic system. The idea of memories as a source of power that can be harvested, manipulated or even stored is genuinely fascinating. It opens up questions about how memory shapes identity and how easily it can be distorted, which ties nicely into the broader mystery of what really happened to Rowenna. I also loved the contrast between the two kingdoms: Tashir, rooted in soil and growth, and Vanzador, built on stone and mountains. They feel like complete opposites, but the story hints at how they’re meant to function in balance rather than in opposition, adding an extra layer of thematic depth.

The central mystery is what really kept me reading, even when the pacing lagged. As Indira uncovers more about her sister’s life in Vanzador, the narrative effectively complicates what she thought she knew. Watching her slowly realize that Rowenna may not have been the person she believed was one of the more interesting arcs in the book. There’s a strong thread here about how we idealize the people we love, and what happens when that image starts to fracture.

However, the plot sometimes leans too heavily on telling rather than showing. We’re often told that Indira is investigating, researching, or searching for answers, but we don’t always see those moments play out meaningfully. Instead, they’re summarized or skipped over, which makes parts of the story feel like connective tissue rather than fully realized scenes. It creates a sense of moving from point A to point B without the emotional or narrative weight that should exist in between.

The romance also fits into this pattern. The connection between Indira and Prince Alaric develops alongside the unraveling mystery, and I did appreciate how their bond ties back to themes of family and understanding. But like other elements of the book, it felt somewhat underdeveloped compared to the strength of the concept.

Overall, this is one of those books where the idea is stronger than the execution. There’s a really intriguing story here about grief, memory, and the narratives we build around both people and nations. The worldbuilding and magic system are genuinely compelling, and Indira as a character is layered and interesting. I just wish the overall character development and pacing had matched the ambition of the premise. For a book that promises to burn a kingdom down, I wanted to feel way more of that fire on the page.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for sharing an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Burn the Kingdom Down at a glance

Book details

Title: Burn the Kingdom Down
Author: Addie Thorley
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Release Date: April 7, 2026
Page Count: 448

Synopsis

An action-packed enemies-to-lovers romantasy filled with a romance that will leave you breathless, betrayals that will rip your heart out, and a princess who will stop at nothing for revenge.

One year ago, Rowenna Harrack, the crown princess of Tashir, left her homeland in a wedding dress of chains—sent away to the enemy nation of Vanzador as a captive bride.

Now, Rowenna is dead. Brought home in a coffin after an alleged fall from a cliff.

Second-born princess, Indira, knows her sister’s death was no accident. Desperate for truth and vengeance, Indira agrees to wed the prince so she can infiltrate Vanzador, find Rowenna’s murderer, and burn their kingdom to the ground.

Indira’s plan is simple, she will make nice until she can find out how to avenge her sister and free her country from the rival nation’s stranglehold. But when Indira arrives, nothing is as terrible as Rowenna described. As Indira grows closer to her new husband, Prince Alaric, and uncovers more about Vanzador, the source of its powers, and what happened during Rowenna’s final days, she’s no longer sure what—and who—to believe. Because everyone, even her sister, has secrets. Deadly ones.

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