Hummm, well, this had such potential to be something amazing. The magic system was unique. Two wonderful main characters with point-of-views. A villain (or two) who could’ve been great. Lovable side characters.

Sadly, everything fell flat.

Several of the beginning chapters were nothing but politics and by the time I was 12 chapters in I just wanted the main characters Mara and Alac to meet. When they finally did the anticipation almost felt worth the build-up. Except the chemistry lacked sustenance. Don’t get me wrong, I thought they were adorable and their interactions were sweet. But I’m not much of a fan of insta-love romances and all that did was cheapen the enemies-to-lovers aspect of the storyline.

The climax...ugh. You can’t imagine how disappointed I was when the turning point of the book turned out to be anticlimatic. The villain’s death felt pointless and boring, as did the king’s death. After being absent for nearly 3/4 of the book I thought we would’ve gotten a chance to see just how horrible Alac’s father was since everyone feared him—nothing. Nada. Not even an epic battle of two sorcerers fighting over the throne. Even the romance felt weak as there was hardly any chapters left after the betrayal for Alac to rebuild his trust in Mara. I thought there was no way he could forgive her so easily after playing a hand in his family’s murder.

Welp, I was wrong again. By the time their romance rekindled in the end I didn’t care. I think this should’ve been a duology and would’ve benefited greatly with better fleshed-out characters and world building than as a standalone.

**Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was the classic YA book with the same old tropes, lack of worldbuilding and bland characters.
Maybe young readers or someone who's approaching this genre for the first time could enjoy it more than me.

The Stolen Kingdom by Jillian Boehme is an upcoming standalone fantasy novel centering around a lowly winemaker’s daughter who, under unbelievable circumstances, finds out that she’s the long lost heir to a stolen kingdom; the magic she’s kept secret her entire life is evidence of just that. Wrapped up in a plot to steal back the long lost throne, it gets harder and harder for her to keep the familial magic secret -- especially once she meets the prince she has to destroy to become queen. Magic, both dark and light, and royalty, both bad and good, and a hint of wine love weave this tale together.

This was a cute, quick fantasy read! The plot is original and engaging, and the two different kinds of magic are quite interesting in the little glimpses we get. Mara’s journey from winemaker’s daughter to undercover ward to eventual royalty is intriguing, her growing strength and confidence a lovely nod to your classic coming-of-age story. The contrast of blood magic versus life magic is very clear, and the times the two interact are certainly memorable.

We do have a bit of a case of insta love here between Mara and Alac, the prince’s son. If it weren’t for circumstances throwing them together, this is not a pairing that I can see clicking -- except for their mutual love of wine, a trait that is hammered into readers’ brains. I would’ve much preferred if their relationship had started -- and remained -- strictly a platonic one, especially since it reads as such when you ignore the way each is captivated by the other's supposed beauty.

It’s always nice to find a standalone fantasy novel that wraps up all loose ends and still gives a satisfying end to the story. I did feel like there was a whole other world outside the main characters that is hinted at but we’re never shown; this is definitely a novel that could have done with an extra hundred pages or so, simply for the realm -- and the rules of the magic -- to be expanded upon. The potential is limitless with the few details the author did share.

Overall, a charming and magical installment, and a lighter take on epic fantasy than I’ve encountered in recent years, something I really do appreciate. I’d recommend to any fantasy fans looking for a reprieve from your average heavy emotional tome; this read will satisfy the magical craving without casting an unbreakable spell on your person.

The Stolen Kingdom is the story of two young people thrust into roles they never wanted, didn't expect and are not quite prepared for. Mara is the daughter of a vintner and she loves tending to her father's grapes but she has a secret, she can make them grow with magic. But to her knowledge, magic is bad and is only possessed by the King himself. That magic is passed from heir to heir on the throne, a throne which had been stolen generations earlier. 

Alac is the King's second son and uninterested in power and fearful of magic. When his father goes on progress through the kingdom just before his heir is due to be married, he entrusts Alac with a magical medallion to protect him while the king is away. This first taste of magic makes Alac equally intrigued and fearful.

When Mara is kidnapped and brought to the castle in a plot to assassinate the royal family and place her on the throne the plans are soon in jeopardy as she bonds with Alac. The two begin a quest to understand how to contain the magic. As the plot progresses they are torn apart by their loyalties to their side but can they overcome and find a way to peace for the kingdom?

This is definitely a slow moving plot for fantasy and is much more focused on character building than world building. That said we learn more and more about the magic and history of the kingdom as the novel unfolds. It's fun to see Mara test the boundaries of her magic and gain confidence with it and who she is in the world. There were lots of parallels for me with the story of the Graceling, so my recommendation for today is to preorder this one if you are a fan of Graceling.

DNF at 43%

I read one more chapter and I just can't anymore. The big problem I have about these long lost descendants being pushed to assume the throne is what about them when found makes them a good candidate for the throne? Our main character has little to no real training on how to speak, act, behave as a royal and constantly makes mistakes that would have been fixed if she had this beforehand. But this higher class she interacts somehow doesn't find anything wrong with this?!

A lot of illogical instances like this had me so upset. Not to mention when our main character KNOW she should not use magic but CONSTANTLY does and is like "oops" and gets in trouble for it. Makes me gnash my teeth. The final chapter I read (21) has the other pov, Alac or something, just right off tell her about his magical lockbox when he finds out she can do magic. Like WHAT? This is supposed to be some deep, dark secret of the family but he goes and blabs it all off to a stranger he only knew for maybe a few weeks at most? No, no, no.

I bet they'll become a romance pairing and I can't. There is no chemistry between them. She always wants to run away and flinches from their interactions while he constantly seeks her out and engages her which she isn't receptive to receiving.

I want to persevere but I am unwilling because I'm in a reading slump and don't want to make it worst.

It's so rare to have a stand-alone fantasy book nowadays, so I jumped at the chance to read The Stolen Kingdom.

I felt like the magic and plot of the book as a whole were extremely well written and overall this book was enjoyable. The book was extremely fast paced, and while I would have loved a little more character development, it was still a good read. I wasn't too fond of the romance, and it seemed a bit more younger audience focused compared to more YA/New Adult type fantasy that is pretty common.

It was a solid 3.5 for me!

Thank you NetGalley, author, and publisher for providing the ARC of this book.

honestly, i’m not totally sure how to feel about this book. it was a great plot and almost reminiscent of Kingdom of the Wicked and City of Brass in terms of how vast and sprawling this standalone was. it delist everything The Shadows Between Us was trying to be. but it was underdeveloped. there was so many scenes that were rushed — imagine you’re kidnapped and told you’re going to be queen after the king and two princes are murdered, when yesterday you were about to launch a small business. you’d probably be in utter shock and dis eloped. the MC was like “oh... okay!” and decided to be queen. there were a lot of rushed scenes like that that i wish had been fleshed out more because this easily could’ve been five stars. i was actually invested though and read to the end bc i enjoyed it. so 3 stars all around

I was NOT expecting this book to be so good.

It started a hair too slow for my liking, but after completing the book it became clear that the beginning chapters were vital: with the acknowledgment of Mara's mom, the vineyard, etc. Then after the first few chapters, it was just a never-ending rollercoaster of events.

The Stolen Kingdom was unlike many stand-alone books that I have read, and I feel as though I have read quite a few stand-alones.

Looking back on this book, it reminds me of the dark magic in the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas but instead of stretching the span of eight books, it was wrapped into one. Obviously, there are significant differences between both the Throne of Glass series and The Stolen Kingdom, but I cannot help but notice the similarities: two women determined to right the wrongs that have been done to their kingdom, both of whom have magical abilities; Kings driven by dark magic (unknowingly against their will); princes struggling to correct their fathers' wrongdoings; and the prince's dutiful guard/best friend.

As for the romance factor, there was hardly any. But truthfully, the book kept at such a steady pace you hardly noticed or missed the lack of romance. Any romance that was there was very PG.

Boehme did an exceptional job at creating a rollercoaster of events. First, you have the kidnapping, then you have the plot twist that a vintner's daughter is the last missing Dallowyn heir, then Boehme throws in sweetheart Prince Alac who deserves all good things in the world.

Overall I quite enjoyed it. It was the quickest read I had this month. My only complaint is that every chapter flips back and forth between Mara's perspective and Alac's perspective. Meaning chapter one is Mara's point of view and then chapter two is Alac's point of view. Although I do not prefer when authors take this route, it was not a deal-breaker for a few reasons. The first reason being when Mara and Alac are apart it gives the reader the opportunity to see what is going on at any given moment. Whether it's at the vineyard, in Silverton, or at the royal palace. Which I feel allows the book to continue progressing forward at a steady rate without too many slow spots. The second being you learn how little Alac knows what is unfolding around him and how much the coup is killing Mara, simultaneously. The third being the obvious point: you know how both characters feel about each other.

For the most part, I enjoyed the writing style, the characters, the plot, and the concept of how the magic was originally stolen and how they ultimately were able to get it back to the rightful heir. I do plan on buying the physical copy of the book once published.

DNF. I struggled with this one. The POVs were indistinguishable in spite of name headings, and the characters felt flat and unengaging. The world also didn’t feel well realized.

The Stolen Kingdom has to be my favourite fantasy read of 2021! The way the Jillian Boehme was able to capture her characters and the world that she created is phenomenal! I was able to be fully immersed in Perin Faye! I cannot wait to read more of Jillians work and I am super excited to purchase multiple copies for everyone I know :)

Full review to come after publication date :)

The Stolen Kingdom by Jillian Boehme is a refreshing standalone fantasy. Maralyth is a vintner's daughter, who has hidden magic that only the king should be able to possess. When she finds out that her magical abilities are proof of being the rightful heir of the throne, she is entangled in a plot to murder the royal family and claim the throne.

This was a fun quick read with action and adventure, and what I loved most about this book is that it was a standalone. The story wrapped up nicely and I enjoyed reading Maralyth and Alec's points of view. This is a great book for anyone who loves a YA fantasy book with forbidden romance and a unique magic system.

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!

A standalone fantasy novel featuring magic, sorcery, kidnapping and espionage. The story is told from the two perspectives of Mara and Alac. An interesting tale

3,5 stars ⭐️

The Stolen Kingdom was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and having the chance to read it sooner was just great. This is an amazing standalone fantasy book that gave me more than what I was expecting and something I really liked was the magic system since it was very intriguing and unique, and i can't say I didn't have a great time while reading this, it was a quick, fun, and enjoyable read.

I definitely recommend this to all the people out there that love a fantasy book with forbidden romance, amazing world-building, a great plot, an unique magic system and so much more, plus this is a standalone, have we seen many good standalone fantasy books out there? they are rare. I am definitely going to be re-reading this once I get myself a finished copy!

oh, and the cover? love it.

The Stolen Kingdom is a solid stand alone fantasy. It is a bit slow at the start but overall is an awesome book!
I loved the aspects of wine making included as they really let you get immersed in the world. It does seem a bit choppy in other parts but the vineyards made up for it. I absolutely loved Maralyth but Alec was kind of boring to me. I just couldn't connect with him though I'm happy with his final decision. This is a fun read that follows the majority of the YA expectations but does it in a way that's still enjoyable. I'm glad the author decided to write a detailed stand alone rather than a stretched out series.

The world and magic system was absolutely incredible. I always love when I can read a standalone and not left wanting there to be more. The characters in this book made me connect with them and want to be there with them. Maralyth and Alac are the narrators of the story and take us along with them on their incredible journey. I will definitely be reading more from this amazing author.

A stand-alone fantasy was an intriguing concept for me and I was really interested to see how it would fare. The world building was as I would expect for a single novel fantasy; not that in-depth. But knowing that I still don’t think it was hard to understand in any way. Overall it was an enjoyable quick read, that emerged me in a fantasy universe without having to wait for a ton of sequels.

Stolen Kingdom is a rare gem in YA fantasy books, because it's a standalone, I really like this story, but I think maybe a duology would work better.

Perin Faye's royal family are the only people who possess magic, but a few decades ago their throne was usurped by the Thungrave family, the magic was stolen and is now controlled by blood magic.

The book has two POV:
Maralyth, she is vintner's daughter and secretly uses her power to help the family vineyard.
Alac is the second heir to the throne, does not agree on how his father uses dark magic to rule.

When the magic of Maralyth is discovered, a plot is formed to return the throne to the rightful heir. Then, the protagonists meet, an immediate attraction occurs (no instalove). But both have secrets that they should not tell, their relationship starts by the hobbies they share; wine.

I like both characters, they are smart, good people, a little sassy and you will have fun with them.

It's a descriptive novel, the magic of Maralyth is fascinating, I liked reading about her learning and mastering her.
Also the descriptions of the wine made me want to have a glass on hand.

The reason why I think a duology would have worked better is because of the extension, I loved the beginning but the last chapters, where the drama happens, I felt a bit rushed, a lot happened in a short time.
Overall, It's a good story, you have everything, magic, court intrigue, cool characters, romance and action.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!
The Stolen Kingdom is a wonderful stand alone fantasy novel- I get so excited when I find these!
Mara is the daughter of a vinter (winemaker). She’s always had a way with the grape vines at home- a magical way, that is. Little does she know that this magic is proof that is the rightful heir to the throne, as opposed to the current king who rules because of blood magic. Soon Mara finds herself in the middle of a coup, and unsure of who she can trust.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the magic, and genuinely rooted for the protagonist. It was definitely fast paced and kept me on my toes! The only thing that kept this from being five stars for me, is that there seemed to be some fast forwarding for character development. It seems to only takes a couple of weeks for Mara to go from cooking for the vineyard hands to having a queenly grace. There was also a double agent who seemed sudden and a bit on the deus ex machina side. That said, I still had a hard time putting it down, and look forward to future books by this author.

This book is well written with a fast paced plot. However the fast pacing sacrifices world building. There is very little background given about this world. It seems to take place in medieval Europe, Norman France would be my guess. If you’re an oenophile then you’ll probably enjoy large portions of this book as Alac has always wanted to study winemaking (bit odd for a prince). I wasn’t a very big fan of the instalove between Alac & Maralyth. Considering she’s trying to overthrow his family it’s rather misplaced. Something that struck me as really odd was that Maralyth seemed to do just fine with court manners and etiquette. Since she grew up in the rural countryside and would’ve spent her whole life out in the vineyard or in the kitchen this just doesn’t make any sense that she would have that kind of knowledge. Overall, I think this book was trying to fit a few too many tropes and details into a book this size, and just delivered short.

Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan-Tor/Forge for this advanced reader copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

3.5 ⭐️
One hundred years of a cursed rule. An unassuming girl. A prince who never wanted to be king. The magic of death and that of the earth. Plus, a lot of wine!

I appreciated having the opportunity to read a standalone fantasy book. There are not a ton out there. For that desire, this does the trick. There is magic and mishap. Love interests and growing into ones own. The tale is a relatively simply story line, it’s sweet but there isn’t a lot of meat to it. I think that is not an uncommon downside to standalone fantasy, since there isn't as much time to build the world. It's a quick read but I was fully satisfied with the ending.

Would recommend for someone looking for a quick standalone fantasy. Better for a younger audience, but anyone who is a fan of YA fantasy will enjoy it.

Thanks netgalley for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.