Book: The Stolen Kingdom
Author: Jillian Boehme
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4 stars
Goodreads Synopsis:
For a hundred years, the once-prosperous kingdom of Perin Faye has suffered under the rule of the greedy and power-hungry Thungrave kings. Maralyth Graylaern, a vintner's daughter, has no idea her hidden magical power is proof of a secret bloodline and claim to the throne. Alac Thungrave, the king’s second son, has always been uncomfortable with his position as the spare heir—and the dark, stolen magic that comes with ruling.
When Maralyth becomes embroiled in a plot to murder the royal family and seize the throne, a cat-and-mouse chase ensues in an adventure of dark magic, court intrigue, and forbidden love.
My Review
I received an ARC from netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
Actually I received an advanced reading copy of this book back in February but I was so busy at that time with my dissertation revisions that I could not write a detailed review. But this book is so good that I wanted to write my thoughts about this one. First of all, I really liked this standalone fantasy book. The story was unique and refreshing, and I really admired the world building in this book.
The story follows Maralyth, a poor girl with hidden magical powers, and Alac, second son of the king who uses the magic that was in fact stolen. Maralyth is happy and content with her father and brother, but then she is kidnapped and persuaded to be a part of the plot to murder the royal family. But when Maralyth is sent to the palace with a fake name and identity on the occasion of crown prince’s wedding, Alac, the second son, falls for her. How could Maralyth reciprocate that feeling of love when she is there to murder him? What will happen if Alac comes to know about her hidden powers?
I really liked Alac and Maralyth’s characters. They are both brave and ambitious. I also enjoyed their dialogues, but I would have liked to read more about their relationship. As a large part of the book was devoted to story-building, I actually could not connect with the characters, both the main and side characters. I think I would have liked it more if it was a series, as it might be a tough job to build an entire world in a standalone book. Though the explanations of how the magic works, and the uniqueness of the fantasy world in this book really amazed me a lot.
The thing that I liked the most was the writing style of the author. As it was my first book of the author, it is definitely not the last. Her writing is simple, and I really enjoyed how the writer managed to describe the world and issues of magic in the book. It is one of those books that will suck you into the story and you will not get bored. Recommended!
My Favorite Lines:
"Regardless of my attempts at guarding my heart, he'd wormed his way in."
"I'd fallen for her from the moment she'd first stepped out of a carriage in the courtyard, and I didn't feel capable of unfailing. Every word poised on my tongue felt like it would lumber forth with a clumsiness that would let the world know that this girl unraveled me."
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Thanks for sharing this wonderful review. This definitely feels like a great read.