The Mortal Trials by Megan Shunmugam
on July 14, 2026
Published by Angry Robot Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / Dark Fantasy, Fiction / Fantasy / Epic, Fiction / Romance / Fantasy
Format: ARC
Pages: 304 
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Source: NetGalley and the PublisherI was sold on The Mortal Trials from the jump, deadly competition, high stakes, and a fight for survival that actually feels like it matters.
The trials kept things moving, but I’ll be honest… they didn’t hit as hard or as terrifying as they could have. I wanted a little more “oh shit” and a little less “okay, we’ll survive this.” That said, the bigger story this is building into? That’s where things start to get really interesting, and I’m absolutely here for it.
Lirah and Kilian’s dynamic did a lot of the heavy lifting for me. Strong FMC, broody, morally gray mentor, and that slow burn tension underneath it all… it works.
Some of the tropes felt familiar, and I would have loved more depth in the worldbuilding and emotional buildup early on. It took a minute to fully settle in.
But once it finds its footing, it really takes off. The second half had me hooked, and I wasn’t ready to be done.
Overall, a solid romantasy debut with a strong foundation and just enough bite to keep me invested. I’ll definitely be continuing the series.
This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.
I received this book for free from NetGalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
🫶🏼 – Ali
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