We start our story on a vineyard with Mara who has been bestowed with magic but told to keep it a secret. It’s told in first person and has two characters it flips between. Mara and the second prince, Alac.

The kingdom is ruled by Alac’s father, whom has taken over the magic that was stolen over a century ago, after his father passes and a failed coup, the magic is freed creating mayhem due to the magic turning on itself. Alac and Mara come together to fix things as best as possible and hopefully rid the world of the evil magic. There are some wonderful scenes within the gist of what I said, but to say so would give away such nice tidbits. My only complaint was it started a smidge slow, but that’s my thoughts only. Towards the middle of the book I became quite invested. But Alac was a bit easy to forget. I constantly wanted to call him the wrong name when I was thinking of the book. He didn’t stand out quite as much as I would expect him to for being a main character. All in all, not a bad read and I’d say it was pretty good. However I hope in the next book Alac grows a bit and becomes the character he should be.


*I was given this book from netgalley for free in return of giving a review of my thoughts*

The Stolen Kingdom is a standalone fantasy where you get a whole new type of magic and see how good magic can turn evil when it is in the wrong hands. It has been awhile since I have read a standalone fantasy story as I feel that they need more novels to fully get through the story. This novel managed to set everything up, provide an interesting story, followed by a conclusion all within a single novel. There is a lot that happens in the couple hundred pages that make-up this story and I found it very entertaining and satisfying, but I still wanted more at the same time.

Over 100 years ago, the Thungraves were given magic by the true magic holders as temporary holders. The Thungraves betrayed them and kept the magic for themselves and usurped the throne for themselves in the kingdom of Perin Faye. The corrupted magic was then passed from father to son as a Thungrave king would pass it on to his heir. Time passed and the newest Thungrave King now has possession of the magic and is preparing to pass it to one of his two sons who will be getting married and prepare to ascend the throne soon. Cannon, the heir, is following in their father’s footsteps and seems to have the same thoughts about the magic and the kingdom. On the other hand, we have Alac, the spare heir, who does not believe that his father’s rule has been beneficial to the kingdom and he question’s the magic and its need to be king. Alac’s best friend, and personal guard, Tucker, was a great asset to the story as I loved the banter and friendship between him and Alac. Tucker is there to support Alac, but I would have loved to learn more about him as he seemed like an intriguing character.

Maralyth is the vintner’s daughter with a hidden secret, she can do magic! She secretly used her magic to help the grapes ripen and for other uses to improve the world around her without getting caught. Her magic is discovered one day and she is kidnapped by one of the lords of the kingdom, Lord Nelgareth. It turns out that she is the true heir to the throne and she becomes part of the coup to take back the kingdom from the Thungraves. She has an incredible love of wine and it is proven time and time again throughout the book that she is very knowledgeable about the details of the winemaking process. She is a fairly level-headed and likeable character and the reader roots for her to succeed and find happiness.

The lords devise a plan to use Cannon’s wedding festivities as a cover to bring Mara to the castle and follow-through on their coup. While at the castle, Mara first meets Alac. The two of them have an instant connection and interest in each other. Slowly, they interact and get to know each other little by little. The only issue is that Mara had to lie about who she is to hide her identity and she also has to keep hiding her magic. The two bond over wine as Alac’s dream is to escape palace life in favor of making wine. I liked that wine was a bonding factor as it was a very unique topic that usually is not included in other novels. Alac wants to get rid of the dark magic and maybe Mara can be the key as she seemed to have knowledge about the subject. Although Mara knows that Alac’s remaining time before his assassination is short, she cannot help but start to have feelings for him.

This novel was very interesting, but I would have loved more pages added on in order to include more details and create more background to the story. This way the reader would be able to understand the terribleness of King Selmar and why it is so important to remove him from the throne before things could potentially become worse. The secondary characters seemed very interesting, but they are missing some backstory to help the reader connect to them. As the story moves along at a decent pace, it is both great and frustrating as I liked that every part of the novel had to do with the main story, but at the same time, I wanted more in order to connect to everything more. The writing was easy and entertaining as it was interesting to read about these two characters that are on opposing sides, while having the common purpose of improving the kingdom. A fun and entertaining read!

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, and the author, Jillian Boehme for an ARC to read. The opinions expressed are completely my own.**

While I initially had The Vine Witch vibes from this read, it took a surprising and interesting turn!

When the kingdom of Perin Faye was taken over by the Thungrave kings, the rightful holder of the throne was cast out, and their magic stolen. Now Perin Faye is living in a tyrannical world, with a king who cares only for himself, and doesn't allow any of the surrounding towns to prosper. Vineyards flourish, but the king demands the lion's share of the wines, making it very difficult for the vintners to prosper and survive. Maralyth Graylaern is the daughter of one such vintner, who's wine is among the best in the kingdom. Using her hidden magic to ensure the vines grow and survive bad weather and hungry birds, Maralyth has no idea what her magic really means. When she is kidnapped by an ambitious lord named Nelgareth, Maralyth learns of a plot to overthrow the currently king and place her, the last remaining descendent of the Dallowyn King, on the throne. However, Maralyth grows fond of the Thungrave prince, and will do what she can to save him, her family and the kingdom.

I enjoyed this read overall. The magic was interesting - I liked how in Maralyth, the true owner of the magic, it was pure and life-bringing, but in the Thungrave kings it had turned sour from being stolen, and became an ugly power that slowly deteriorated the Thungrave kings in turn. Maralyth was such a sweet, innocent character, which sometimes came off as super naïve, but I enjoyed how she grew into a Queen who would stop at nothing to secure the welfare of her people and return the kingdom to its former glory.

Overall, the story was captivating, the magic was interesting, and this turned out to be a great fantasy read!

Times are hard in the kingdom of Perin Faye after 100 years of the mighty and power-hungry rule of the Thungrave kings, and Maralyth sees the effects on her father's winemaking business. She wants nothing more than to help her family's vineyard thrive, and she believes she can do that with her secret gift of magic. Despite trying to keep her magic secret, she is found out and kidnapped by the local resistance movement who recognizes that her magic belongs to the line of rightful kings. They plan a coup to topple the Thungrave dynasty which has ruled with the help of a dark, corrupt magic. As Maralyth is pulled into the twisting plot of the resistance, she is increasingly unsure of whether the coup can really succeed without unleashing a worse plague on the country.

This is a solid YA fantasy! There are a lot of good elements--I really appreciated that the story was simple and straightforward. The pacing was well done, and there was enough time to develop the main characters well. I liked that there was only a touch of romance, and even then, I liked that the characters were aware of how little they knew each other. This was not a Disney-esque romance where the characters are madly in love after only a few days!

All that said, there were some weak areas. I would have liked to see more of Nelgareth. He makes a great villain and there was definitely a lost opportunity in the way that his story played out. I also liked the winemaking aspect and thought it would play more of a part in the story, but it seemed like it was mostly there to give the main characters a way to connect. More world-building would have really helped overall. We're given a basic description of the country and the state that it's in, but I think the story would have been stronger if the king had been better developed and if there was more of an emphasis of how the Thungrave kings and their corrupt magic were affecting the country.

All in all, this is a nice YA fantasy, and it's one that I feel comfortable recommending to younger readers. It may, however, be too simplistic for anyone who enjoys more complex characters and plots.

Thank you to Jillian Boehme, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and honestly review this book!

3.5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Teen for an e-ARC of this book!

Overall, I definitely enjoyed this standalone YA fantasy about Mara and Alac who want to do right by the people of their country, Perin Faye. Alac, the "spare" son to the current king and Mara, the rightful heir to the throne who get's caught up in a plot to overthrow the king. The backstory was interesting and I definitely thought the story's pace was great - it's a fast read and definitely captivating with a cool magic system. I also really enjoyed the underlying relationship that was building between Mara and Alac.

I think my biggest issue with this was that it was actually too short - I wanted more world building, more character development, and more of the love story.

Definitely an enjoyable read and one I think a younger YA audience will love!

If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be forgettable. There were a few good moments in this, but for the most part, this was like every other stereotypical YA novel.

In this, we have the tale of a princess fighting to reclaim her crown. The entire time I was expecting a twist, I wanted to be surprised. I wanted this to bring somethinh new to the table. Instead, this felt like every other book I've read. The kingdom was the same one we've seen before, and the characters weren't anything new.

Also, I had a huge problem with the logic of the story. What qualified Maralyth to be Queen? What did she offer? At about the halfway point of the story, she became determined to become queen, but I honestly didn't understand why. Her character didn't seem like it would tend to that desire, so it just confused me.

I also wanted a lot more on the magic. As soon as the story started, I was super interested in the blood magic. I immediately wanted to know more about it, and how it could be used. Sadly, we just got vague explanations and Maralyth's all powerful magic.

I had a bit of a problem with the instalove here. As soon as Maralyth and Alac met, he wanted her. And not even for a valid reason, he wanted her because she was different. Im so tired of this being the reason for a romance. Can't we base it off of personality?

Although I didn't dislike this book, I didn't like it either. The plot and characters were bland, and I don't see myself remembering anything about this.

Thanks to Netgalley and Jillian Boehme for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review

While this book started strong, it generally suffered from the "It needed to be 50 pages longer" effect. While I generally enjoyed the majority of the book the ending left me needing more and wasn't as fully flushed out as the rest of the book. The beginning and middle were strong and detailed and set the stage for what was sure to be an epic saga of intrigue and political machinations. I just needed more from the end. It was wrapped up in a neat little bow without information how how we got to this point in the story and what difficult conversations had to take place for the characters to reach their conclusions. Ultimately it just felt empty compared to the rich detail that we had been given early on in the book. Alac and Mara had gone through so much during this story and their character development was building to something exciting, but at the end it just felt like the conclusion didn't match their growth and how far they had come.

Overall, despite my issue with the conclusion of this book, I genuinely believe this is a solid read and would definitely recommend it to other readers. There are so many wonderful aspects to the story and a plot that will keep readers on the edge of their seats while they read. By about the halfway mark I could not put it down. The pacing became faster and I had to absorb every detail that the author included. This book has a little bit of everything in it: political intrigue, espionage, forbidden romance, strong thought out characters, and a coup. You will be so excited when you read this to follow Mara and Alac on their journeys as they grow and find themselves and their true purposes in life.

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Teen for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Stand-alone fantasy novels are few and far between, so whenever I find one I like to hold onto to it and hope for the best. The Stolen Kingdom did not disappoint at all, in fact I found myself wanting more—maybe not another full length novel, but an epilogue or maybe a short story post ending.

The magic system in this book was extremely well developed and one that stands out to me from other magic systems that I’ve read about. Usually, magic systems take the entire series to fully develop, but the author developed this one in this book in a way that didn’t feel like a pile of information thrusted upon the reader.

Mara and Alac’s dynamic was also an enjoyable part for me in this book, the dynamic of all the characters were. There wasn’t a moment where one character felt out of place or their interactions felt unnatural. Not to mention the romance that develops within this story; if there was anything that I wanted to know more about, it was the state of this romance after the end of the book.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable fantasy perfect for an introduction to the genre or for someone who wants to read a fantasy but doesn’t want to deal with the weight of a five or more book series. Or someone that likes wine, there was a lot of that in this too.

*I would like to thank the author and publisher for the ARC copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

I JUST finished this book, and all I can think is how much I absolutely loved it. I am someone wh occasionally has trouble really getting in to a fantasy book, but this captured my attention right from the start.

Mara grew up in a vineyard, where she hid the magic that her mother forbid her from ever using. Alac was a second-born prince, who saw first hand the impact that stolen magic could have on a man. When Mara is taken from her home, she is caught in a plot to takeover the palace that Alac is not sure he even belongs in. In the time leading up to the takeover, Mara and Alac find that neither are as they seemed at first. How could Mara live with herself if she let the gentle and kind Prince Alac be harmed in their plot to take the throne. As the story continues, they are forced to face the magic in their world, and in it, decide just how much they are willing to lose.

I was so pleasantly surprised by this book. I was in a pretty vicious reading slump, and this book pulled me out of it pretty quickly! It had the perfect amount of both fantasy and romance (and wine). There truly was never a dull moment. Having finished the book, I am now wishing it were a series rather than a standalone. I would absolutely recommend The Stolen Kingdom to anyone. Especially with the irresistible star-crossed lovers trope I love so much!

RTC..

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan/Tor for granting me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love reading standalone fantasies and I so glad I found this one because sometimes not all of them are good and well done.
This book had everything: a forbidden romance that turned out to be enemies to lovers; the well-introduced magic system, even if the author did not add depth to the magic; secret bloodlines and betrayals, and so much more.
From both MCs, my favorite was Maralyth. Having had her life changed in a few days, she handled it well and was not an annoying mc that doesn't want to change the kingdom for the better, and all she wants is to go home. No, she grabs her chance to make her word a better place and doesn't let go, even when a handsome prince cats her eye. Said prince, Alac, was an okay character. During most of the book, I saw him as a spoiled child that complained a lot without having the courage to change anything. I am glad he changed and I could enjoy his character, especially toward the end when feelings were acknowledged. The romance was present but it was not the main plot, I would say it was 65% fantasy and 35% romance.
Regarding the plot, the book was so well-thought and strategized, and no holes were left and with each page read, I just wanted to read more so I could find out what was going to happen next. It was addictive, with a well-developed plot and characters mixed with lies and love, and I wish I could have more.

I read the book and listened to it on audio at the same time and I so glad I did because I read it so much faster, Both narrators could not have voiced Maralyth and Alac better, especially the narrator for Maralyth, her voice was exactly the one I imagine the Mara to have. The only complaint I have of the audio is the when I added speed to it, the sound was duplicated so there was an eco while listening to it, but overall, it was perfect.

Free the Magic, Free the Kingdom
The land of Perin Faye was once prosperous and idyllic, under the reign on the magic- wielding Dallowyn kings. As one would expect, eventually jealous stirred in the hearts of men over the Dallowyn family’s exclusive claim to magic, and therefore to the throne. Through treachery, some of the magic was stolen by the Thungraves, who then began to rule Perin Faye with an iron fist, exacting heavy tithes, and leaving most outside the palace walls and lord’s manors, to barely scrape Image result for earth magic gifby. If we see magic as simply a source of power, The Stolen Kingdom gives credence to the old saying, absolute power corrupts absolutely; as the Thungrave heirs successively find out as they claim their stolen birthright of magic, and it places its heavy yoke of power upon their hearts. Alac Thungrave is the first of his family to be suspicious of the magic, and its hold over the Thungrave kings. He begins to wonder if his family could be better rulers without the rot of the magic upon their souls. At the same time, Maralyth Graylaern is embarking on a quest to regain the throne, and restore the Dallowyn line. There’s just one problem: she can’t bear the thought of Alac being killed alongside his father and brother, to pave the way for her own ascendency.

The Stolen Kingdom explores the themes of political corruption, and the dark side of men, through the lens of stolen magic. Ultimately, readers see that the hallmark of a great ruler is that they must care more for their people than they do for themselves, and more for the land then they do for their own See the source economic gain. The arc of the relationship between Alac and Marylyth is done with skill, never seeming unlikely or overly sappy. They are two strong characters, with stubborn streaks, who find common ground in caring for their people and country, while also being unable to ignore the spark of passion and soul recognition that exists between them. Overall the book is well paced, and well detailed, with a few plot twists meant to keep readers guessing about who will survive and under what conditions that survival will be, until almost the very end. While there are a few bloody scenes, the violence is kept at a minimum, focusing more on political pressures than warfare. And while some sections seemed to stretch out for a few too many pages, it is still an entertaining and fast read. YA Fantasy lovers will find plenty to be enamored with in this book.

Fantasy is my favorite genre. YA Fantasy is my obsession and this book is one more reason why.

I like the family drama that brings Maralyth to her decision to do something she never would have chose to do before. She chooses to save her family by any means necessary, even if that means killing the royal family and taking the throne as the kingdom's new queen.

There is a Beauty and the Beast vibe happening here and I'm loving it. I also love the magic, both the beauty of it and the dangerous darkness of it.

All three of my favorite romantic tropes are present here: enemies-to-lovers, forbidden love, slow-burn romance. This is one aspect of the story that is never really wrapped up at the end. It could still go either way but it is a satisfying ending nonetheless.

I love Maralyth's character. She is one of those no-holds-barred heroines but she never loses her humanity. She loves her family, as well as her people, and has a gentle nature but she will bring the badass out when needed. Buy the end of the book she has grown and matured so much that we forget she is only 16.

The story is well-written and is one of those that will keep you engrossed until the last page. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

I gave it 5 stars and highly recommend it to any fan of YA Fantasy.

The Stolen Kingdom by Jillian Boehme sweeps its readers away in a tale of magic, murder, and the quest to heal the land.

When Maralyth learns she's the rightful heir to a long lost throne, she is less than thrilled to give up her old life for it, but she is given no choice when her family is threatened. Reluctantly she assumes the mantle of a lord's daughter to infiltrate the palace and assume the throne once the current ruling family is killed. This doesn't sit right with Maralyth and it's rare that the consequences of a coup are explored within YA. Boehme constantly reminds her readers of the bloodshed that comes with this sort of transition, even if it is to install a better government.

As a whole, Boehme's cast of characters captured my imagination. Maralyth was fun, her strong moral compass and doubts over the coup built up her character throughout her story, while her interactions with others were enjoyable. Alac was also a fun counterpart, he's dynamic and his relationship with his family's magic is at the centre of his character arc. However, few secondary characters stood out. The antagonists are quickly taken care of as they arise, Alac's personal guard revolved entirely around the prince making him rather flat, while the rebelling lord was predictable and taken care of all too easily.

I enjoyed the, it was well paced and dynamic. At no point did I feel it drag, and I was happily surprised by how well the ending wrapped everything up, without coming off as cheesy. Boehme's strength here is her characters, and their inner conflicts drive the book, so it's delightful that they play so well off the action.

Overall I enjoyed A Stolen Kingdom. This character driven fantasy was neatly packaged in a single book without leaving me wanting.

A century ago, an untamed magical power had appeared. It was said to be so powerful that it destroyed and withered everything in its path. The Thungraves, with the help of a ritual, took control of this power along with the land of Perin Faye. The Thungraves were greedy power-hungry kings who wanted to control everything. In their hand, the magic that was supposed to be good and nurturing became dark and ravaging. It filled the bearer with the darkness it carried and changed them completely.
Maralyth, our female protagonist is a Dallowyn. The Dallowyns were the rulers of Perin Faye before it was taken by the Thungraves. They were also the original wielders of this magic before the Thungraves took it, thus the name of the book The Stolen Kingdom. Mara also possessed this magic, but her mother always forbade her to use it. However, she did use it often to help her family’s vineyard prosper.
Lord Nelgareth, the ruler of a lord land of Delthe, had her kidnapped and brought to him. Through Nelgreth, she finds about her heritage and that she is the rightful heir to the throne of Perin Faye. Nelgareth planned a coup to bring down the Thungraves and to put Mara on the throne. To help her family she agrees to join Nelgareth.
At first glace Mara seems to be bit naïve because undoubtedly Nelgareth had ulterior motives about his plan to take over which she didn’t really think about at first. So, when she did, I was like thank you, finally! Later though, she is shown to be brave, loyal and endearing. Her resolve to help others and bring about positive changes in the kingdom is admirable.
Alac, the male protagonist, is the second son of Selmar Thungrave II ruler of Perin Faye. He is shown to be quite simple. Being the second son, he is oppressed by both his father and elder brother Cannon because he is the youngest and therefore will not be king. During a red wedding (GOT) like massacre, orchestrated by Nelgareth, his father and brother are killed, and he becomes king.
Upon the death of the king the stolen magic is on the loose, wreaking havoc all over the kingdom, until Alac performs the ritual to take the magic for himself. He, of course didn’t because he despised it. He set out to look for Mara, who had fled the scene to find shelter.
Mara and Alac’s romance was cute but it lacked chemistry. In some places it just felt flat, like they were not connecting, I just couldn’t sense the feelings I wanted them to exhibit. Granted the Prince and the queen who’s come to take over make a really good romance trope but this one was just was not there. I just couldn’t feel the “oh come on just kiss already!” feeling.
The book was fast paced but I still took my time with it. The plot was interesting and enjoyable. The book was filled with plot twists. I kind of predicted one or two of them but the rest I didn’t even see coming, they were really good. However, when the plot took the driver seat the world building was pushed into the back seat. The world here is not that well described. There was political unrest between the kingdoms, but I just couldn’t make out the strain in between them. Then up until chapter 12, there was repetition of the history of the kingdoms, like the Dallowyn were tricked and betrayed by the Thungraves. That was constantly repeated, that’s why I skimmed through some of the chapters. Moreover, the mention of their Holy Gods was also minimal. From what I’ve read one of the preachers played an important role in the book, to pass messages to and from the kingdom. They were helping the Dallowyn supporters, so there should have been more description about them.
Overall, it is a good read. It is middle grade. The pre-teens and early teens would enjoy it. I did like it yet, in the end, it just left me wanting more.

The Stolen Kingdom by Jillian Boehme
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This book followed two people in a Kingdom of magic. One was Prince Alac who is royalty and enjoys every pleasure but hates the cost of his fathers dark magic. The other is Maralyth, the daughter of a vinter. She loves the vineyards but hates that her family can barely keep themselves fed due to the heavy taxes on them.
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I really enjoyed this standalone. The story was great, it takes place over a couple weeks period of time so it has a good speed to it. I felt like Maralyth was a well written character who was reasonable and really cared about people. I was rooting for her the whole time. And Alac gave us great insights into the castle and his family.
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I enjoyed how the history of the kingdom was weaved into the story, it felt natural and not like info dumps of background. I loved it. I enjoyed learning about it and could immediately understand that things needed to change.
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The only complaint I have is I wished I knew what the characters did after the resolution. I wasn’t ready to leave then, I enjoyed reading about them so much! But I did love where we left Mara and Alac at the end. They are so cute together 🥰
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I gave this book 4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ this book is available today so go check it out!

I received the ebook ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Interested in a standalone fantasy with magic, kingdoms, and loveable characters that have great banter between them? Then, try out The Stolen Kingdom! I see a lot of other reviewers claiming it was predictable and not enough world-building but I found that a couple of my theories were wrong which means it surprised me. With the world-building, I didn't really think about that. I felt like I had enough information to go off of and to understand the magic system, kingdoms, etc. So, it just goes to show that everyone likes different things and I am a fan of The Stolen Kingdom. My favorite part was when the MCs were in the same room together or talking together. Their banter was full of laughable moments, heartwarming moments, and tension. I'll definitely keep the author, Jillian Boehme on my radar as I'd love to read more of her books.

This book was a delightful surprise! Real rating: 4 1/2 stars. It both was and wasn't what I expected it to be, in the best ways possible.

I loved the small world that was painted for us through the eyes of our MC's, Maralyth and Alac. I loved the hidden magic (and unique magic system), the family secrets and dynamics, the sweet romance (set to a star crossed lovers theme), the political tension and nebulous villains (neither fully bad, nor fully good. Though there are some really bad moments).

I found both of the MC's to be super lovable and I adored how each of their chapters wove the story together from two different perspectives/experiences.

The unique storyline of Maralyth growing up on a Vineyard and longing to do the work only men are allowed to do, as in run the vineyard and produce the wine, is painted in a slightly sweeter picture than I'm used to seeing. Her relationship with her father and brother is one of love and not bitterness, which I really appreciated, but Maralyth hides a secret that only her Mother knew about. It's the reason she's drawn to the earth and the vines, but should anyone find out that secret her life would be in danger. Without fully understanding this and unable to resist the draw of her magic, Maralyth discovers an entirely new world of political intrigue, espionage and rebellion.

Alac, on the other hand, is the second Prince of the royal family. Not in line to inherit the throne, nor does he want to. He too has dreams of working with wine and longs to be able to forge his own path, but his family dynamics are the complete opposite of Maralyths and he struggles to find his place in the world.

The story comes to a head when both MC's finally meet and secrets/betrayals rise to the surface.
Overall, I thought this was a beautifully developed story, with riveting characters, a sweet and unlikely romance and a lot of scheming. I found it to be a quick enjoyable read, though I'm sad to leave the world. I'd love another book!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan/ Tor-Forge / Tor Teen for this digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

Read if you like: a dark YA fantasy, strong female character, fun world-building.
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The story revolves around Maralyth, who believes she is just a vintner's daughter, but she has special magical powers, and because of this, she gets swept up into a plot to overthrow the monarchy and get rid of a corrupt king.
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I really liked the world-building and the magical elements of the story. I liked that magic was not common but marked you as being part of a specific group of people meant to rule, which I thought was cool. I also liked how dark the magic was.
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Maralyth was cool and interesting, but I also really liked the character of Alac. He wants what is best for the kingdom and doesn't want to play the royal games.
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Overall this was a fast-paced and engaging book.

I couldn't really get interested in the story, it felt like it had been done before or I've read a book like it.
Did not finish unfortunately, not badly written or anything, just not my thing