Book Review: Kingdom of Tomorrow by Gena Showalter
Kingdom of Tomorrow by Gena Showalter
ARC Review: Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
Publishing Date: September 1, 2025
Series: Book of Arden #1
Genres: Adult // Fantasy, Romance
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Rating: 🌶️ (Glimpses & Kisses)
Quick Thoughts: Kingdom of Tomorrow hit all the right notes for me — genuine character and emotional growth, the perfect amount of world-building, and a swoonworthy slow-burn romance. Although pacing is slow in the beginning half, I felt like the payoff was worth it in the end. There was also a perfect amount of plot and romance — neither one of them overpowering the other. The romance actually enhances the plot. Highly recommend!
Amazon (Available on Kindle Unlimited) | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org
What is Kingdom of Tomorrow About? (Spoiler Free Summary)
From New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter comes a fusion of modern and fantastical worlds, where a young woman must navigate a secret society, uncover a shocking enemy…and resist an undeniable attraction.
Twenty-year-old Arden Roosa knows only Ourland. Two worlds split and stitched together, with broken pieces from each, statues of fallen gods, and heavenly artifacts that are worshipped…or feared.
But nothing is more fearsome than the night.
A strange madness haunts the darkest hours, turning innocents into gleeful killers. Arden does her best to stay safe, until she reads a book written about her life―The Book of Arden―and everything changes.
Forced to join Fort Bala Royal Academy, Arden is paired with the ruthless High Prince Cyrus Dolion. But while he trains her for combat against a mystical adversary, she can’t deny the sparks burning between them.
If her panic attacks and war games aren’t enough, Arden is also tapped to join the Tome Society, rumored guardians of an invisible library with books that foretell the future. But the more she learns about the society, the less she understands about Ourland, the gods…and the person she’s destined to be.
Pre-Read Thoughts
I’ve never read anything by this author, so I didn’t know what to expect. I was pulled in by the concept of a secret society that guards a library of books that foretell the future. Plots with prophecies are kind of my thing, so I figured I’d give this one a read!
Kingdom of Tomorrow Review
Kingdom of Tomorrow took me by surprise! This book consumed my thoughts all day, every day while I was reading it. It hit all the right notes for me — genuine character and emotional growth, the perfect amount of world-building, and a swoonworthy slow-burn romance.
World-Building & Pacing
Our story takes place in two different realms, Ourland and Theirland, where a madness turns people into killers. I'll be honest, I usually avoid stories with multiple realms because juggling the ins and outs of different worlds often gets confusing fast. But that was not the case here — the author's world-building was well done and doesn't ever feel overwhelming. What I loved most is how naturally these details unfold throughout the story. It never felt info-dumpy or like I was being spoonfed exposition. Instead, the world reveals itself organically through Arden's experiences at the military academy, where the classes and training sequences give you something tangible to anchor all the concepts. It makes everything so much easier to process and visualize.
Fair warning though, this one takes patience. The story takes awhile to get started, but the slower pacing builds tension and I found the payoff worth it at the end. If you're looking for a book that takes off quickly, maybe skip this one for now!
Characters
The characters were also layered, complicated, and perfectly flawed. Every time we got introduced to a new character, I could tell there was so much more than meets the eye. It added a lot of intrigue throughout the book because I could never tell who was a friend and who was an enemy.
Arden is the most relatable FMC I've encountered in a while and I loved that she doesn't fall into any generic romantasy archetype. She's dealing with panic attacks and feeling completely out of her depth, yet she becomes someone so bold and fearless when it comes to uncovering the truth about Ourland and The Tome Society to protect the people she loved. Watching her emotional growth unfold slowly throughout the story felt so earned and authentic.
“With the decision, peace bloomed offering me the fruit of tranquility. For the people, I adored, I could face my fear head on.”
Romance
The romance does take a while to get going, but once it did, I was glued to my Kindle. Cyrus, the mysterious High Prince overseeing Arden's training, has quickly become one of my new favorite book boyfriends. The way Cyrus sees her as worthy of love in spite of how Arden sees herself with all her vulnerabilities is so tender and genuine.
“No matter how many times you fall, you rise. That takes an incredible amount of bravery and resilience. I admire you.”
Oh, and if "acts of service" is your love language, you'll be swooning.
So, should you read Kingdom of Tomorrow?
If you are drawn to books with war college settings, themes of predetermined fates and prophecies, or stories that have an equal balance of romance and plot, Kingdom of Tomorrow should be on your TBR!
Check out this review on Goodreads or Storygraph.
Happy reading!
Kim
Kingdom of Tomorrow FAQs
Some of the answers may be spoilers if you haven’t read it already. Proceed with caution!
-
Yes, Kingdom of Tomorrow is the first book in the Book of Arden series.
-
The sequel to the Kingdom of Tomorrow is named Kingdom of Today. It comes out on December 2, 2025.
-
Kingdom of Tomorrow features no spice scenes, so it’s a 1 🌶️.
That doesn’t mean a lack of tension, yearning, and a steamy scene though! The one steamy scene happens in Chapter 23.