King of Patriam: Outlaws

I want to start this review by saying that these characters have honestly become comfort characters and at this point they feel like family. It isn’t often that I find a story that makes me feel so genuinely connected with their stories and their love for one another, and it’s even rarer for me to find characters that welcome me so readily into their family. The Queen of the Dome series has been that series for me. I’ve been welcomed with open arms into the story of their love and finding each other. I’ve seen them grow and find happiness. I’ve seen the trials they’ve faced and the hardships they’ve overcome. And throughout it all I found myself going through it with them. If you decide to pick up this series, just know that these characters give their entire hearts to every single thing that they do and they are the most genuine found family I could think of. 

The story

We’re dumped right in the middle of the Patrias forest and Cassian is undergoing the incredibly dangerous trials against Primas that are way stronger than he is. We’re left reeling over the devastating goodbye between Cassian and Salem and her begging him to reconsider and stay with her. We’re put in the middle of Cassian and Salem as she escapes to find him and save him from the dangers he’s about to endure. 

King of Patriam: Outlaws is like four books combined in one. We get Cassians trials and (spoiler alert) him winning, and becoming the King of Patriam. We get Salem kidnapped and tortured, then luckily saved by Cassian. We see Salem struggling to remember who she is and Cassian reminding her and bringing her back to life. We get the final war, with characters dying left and right and heartbreak around every turn of the pages. 

While I’m so incredibly glad that this book has so much content and so much to read about with my favorite characters, it easily could have been split in two. I found myself wanting more and more of the book but also realizing that there’s no way we started with Cassian in the forest. There’s no way it’s the same book. 

The story just kept going and god, am I glad it did. I felt heartbreak and a rollercoaster of emotions as i saw Cassian and Salem solidify their love for each other and realize just how much they have to lose. 

Despite this, there were a few plotholes in the book that I found myself confused about. I thought that this book is the end to the trilogy of the Queen of the Dome series, but maybe I’m wrong? From the many revelations and many questions left unanswered, I’m begging Amizah to write another book, give me more!!!

The characters

Like I mentioned earlier, this book is the best example of a found family that I know. We have Deianira and Cade, two characters that I absolutely adore and two characters that have endured way too much in their lifetime. It’s insane to me how much we’ve seen them grow as not only a couple but a family, as they now have a son, Caleb, joining them. 

Cassian, like the last book, is headstrong and loyal to a fault. Salem comes first in his eyes and nothing could make me happier than seeing that from him. The entire book is him protecting the people he loves from the dangers of the world around him. He’s probably one of my favorite characters of all time. The softie warrior. 

“All that she had to do to keep her mind on track was think of him walking out of the forest, victorious. The King of Patriam.”

Salem is one of those female characters that I find myself wishing I could be. She is set in her ways but she’s also strong and noble and bold. I love that she knows what she wants and gets it. I love that she’s so incredibly independent but is able to lean on those that love her when she needs it. The hardships she has endured from this book have only proved to me that Salem is a character to look up to and idolize. 

Devin is probably one of my favorite characters from this series and (yes, I shed a lot of tears in those last few chapters Amizah – that was not a fun trick lol). Devin always stands up for his family and his love for Emori never fails to amaze me. He stands by his woman constantly and he’s everything to the story. He’s one of the best friends that Cassian could have, he’s kind and loyal, I love him. 

“If something happens to her, it won’t matter if he saves the city because he will kill us all. And if she lives after what we’ve done, after what she would’ve had to do to stay that way,” he breathed. “Then may the Gods help us all…”

Lilo and Nadeen are two characters that were introduced this book and despite my (sort of) hatred for Nadeen, Lilo is a character that I found myself adoring. She’s so cute and it’s funny that a Prima is letting Cassian dictate her life as a father would. I find their father-daughter type of bond really cute! 

Writing

You already know that Amizah has me on the floor with her writing. I’m obsessed. It’s so easy to read, it’s quick to get through, everything is perfect. 

“Breathing techniques, relaxation, and avoiding mind-altering substances. One, Cassian knew how to breathe. Two, he was plenty relaxed. When he was around Salem. And three, he wasn’t a smoker.”

Do I recommend?

Reading this series has probably changed my life. I’ve learned so much about myself through these characters and the morals and values that I hold dear. I’ve found characters that genuinely mean the world to me and I’ve found comfort in their stories and their love for each other. 

This series will probably be one of the trilogies that I reread every single year, and I’m pretty sure that it will never ever get old. 

Saying goodbye to this world might kill me, I’m devastated to be saying goodbye to these characters and the place that I’ve come to hold so dear to me. I’m going to be basically launching myself into The High Council, the novella, pretty much right now because I’m too depressed to say goodbye lol. 

Rating: 5/5⭐️