Thank you Netgalley, and Macmillan-Tor/Forg for providing me with a copy to read and review.

Jillian Boehme's The Stolen Kingdom is a wonderful world of magic, forbidden love, and wine! The story follows Mara, a vintners daughter who is kidnapped and thrown into a coup to take over the throne.

The premise of this book captured my attention immediately. Especially since I own a winery. It was really fun to read a fantasy novel that was entwined with the workings of vineyards and the process of wine making.

Although I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, it took me a bit longer to get into the book, however as soon as Mara was at the castle... I could not put the book down. I needed to know what happened! The dual perspective between Mara and Alac was great as well! I loved knowing what was going on through Prince Alac's mind the whole time. Both characters were very likeable and I'm truly sad that this is a standalone novel rather than a series.

This book is available for preorder now and will be released March 2nd, 2021!!

I received this ARC from NetGalley. This tory follows Mara as she discovers who she really is, and finds a path to her future. The story is told with duel narrators, and I loved both of the main characters. The characters where fun and entertaining to read about. This book is filled with magic, adventure, and romance. A great, entertaining read!

Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge and Netgalley for providing me with ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly , if anyone can resist and not pour himself a glass of wine while reading this book i declare him/her inhuman😂😂😂
The way that wine making was intertwined in the story was really picturesque and interesting, it's like you almost can taste the wine yourself.
But let me start with the story that meet us with a vintner's daughter named Maralyth Graylaern...after her mother's passing she takes her plase in the kitchen so she can help and take care of all the workers in the vineyard....but deep down she is not happy doing only that and feels she is destined for more than a place in the kitchen.
Suddenly her world turns upside-down and not only she becomes embroiled in a plot to murder the king and his sons ,but she discovers a secret her mother kept from her for who she truly is.
To top all that and add to the already complicated situation she found herself falling in love with the king's youngest son...the very same family she is trying to kill for the throne...leading her for impossible decisions.
On the other side we meet Alac Thungrave - the youngest son of the king that is desperately trying to find a way of using the magic Thungrave kings stole a long time ago for good deeds and without letting it consume them.
To be honest the relationship and the coversations between the two of them (Alac and Maralyth) was awkward at times and the way he found out about her magic rubbed me the wrong way....but the note their feelings were resolved in the end give us a room to dream of their future.
Personally my favorite character was Tucker and he gave such a color and fun in all situations he was involved that every time i started to chuckle😆.

Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing an eARC of “The Stolen Kingdom” by Jillian Boehme through Netgalley for me to read and review honestly!

Real rating: 4.5/5 stars.

It has been such a long time since I have read such a well-developed fantasy novel with two main characters who are so extremely likable! This book was so hard to put down because I kept wanting to know what was going to happen to Alac and Maralyth as they both found themselves at odds—the latter, a daughter of a vintner, caught up in a coup against the current reigning king whose family had stolen magic from its rightful owner, and the former, the second-born prince, finding himself unsure about his family’s past and future dealings with this stolen magic. The world-building in this book is so incredible and it blows my mind how Jillian Boehme was able to fit such a thoroughly thought out and developed story into a stand-alone fantasy novel of this size. The romance in this novel was really great without outpacing the story’s main plot which still held priority. I love a book that shines a light on a powerful female character and this one provided me with that and included an ending that really proved worthy and without a forced outcome when it came to the romance involved. I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy when this incredible book comes out on March 2nd!

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing me an arc of The Stolen Kingdom by Jillian Boehme in exchange for an honest review!

Real rating: 4.5 stars

Let me start off by saying that if you’re in a reading slump, read this book! This was SUCH a well written/well developed standalone fantasy novel. The Stolen Kingdom is set in a world where a tyrannical ruler reigns supreme as his bloodline wrongfully stole magic from it’s rightful people. Where there is power, where there is magic, there is a ruler who is corrupted by it. Prince Alac, who has seen first hand how power hungry the possession of magic has made his father, is forced into a position he’s has no control over. Meanwhile, Maralyth, who knew from a young age that she possessed magic, finds herself caught up in a scheme to restore the kingdom’s magic to its rightful bloodline. Both Maralyth and Alac find themselves in roles they’ve never imagined for themselves, but, as they find out, sometimes things are much bigger than their own wants.

If you love POV shifts this is definitely the fantasy read for you! Luckily both characters are equally as likeable which makes every single chapter exciting to read. I absolutely fell in love with both Maralyth and Alac, the pacing of the novel, and the worldbuilding. Each character had so much depth and learning about the magical elements were truly enjoyable. I love the character dynamics and how everyone seemed to have their own story to tell. I will say that I wish we got a little more from the ending but I thoroughly enjoyed this standalone and will definitely be buying and recommending this book to friends as soon as it hits the shelves!!

Forbidden magic. Forbidden love. Mysterious histories. I was first attracted to this book because of the fantasy & wine combination, and I was grateful that those themes were present throughout the entire book. The story started slow, and I found myself wishing there were more details about the setting and character backstories, but the backstory was meant to be part of the mystery and I ended up enjoying that aspect.

Once Mara got to the castle, I was truly hooked and the writing itself got more interesting and creatively descriptive as the book progressed. Alac & Mara are both interesting leads, and I loved the POV changes so we could see inside their heads. Mara is a strong character, and her development from a motherless nobody into a queen-to-be was natural and believable. The underlying mystery of Mara's bloodline kept me intrigued and I was curious how Alac and Mara would stay connected in the end.

Mara's magic is a beautiful complement to the stolen magic, and this stolen magic's infiltration over the kingdom is creative and unique in its destructive properties!

My only disappointment in this romance is that it lacked a full embodiment of passion that felt like it was building. Mara even describes her relationship with Alac as intimate, but it never really got intimate. Since the wine content of the book already leans toward adult (I couldn't have my 6th graders read this), I wish the romance content was a little more adult.

I will definitely recommend this book to others and leave public reviews on social platforms.

Political power grab in a magical kingdom far far away? I love the fantasy genre and the missing heir trope in general but parts of this were too fanciful even for me. Mara's quick acceptance of Lord Nelgareth's offer is not believable. The Stolen Kingdom starts slow but her change in status is whiplash quick. Her personality changes on a dime and suddenly she's screaming about what she'll do when she's the queen. Alac's family has just been brutally killed in front of him but he's taking himself to task about how he feels about her, as if this was some kind of romantic spurn instead of murder. I found myself mumbling "yeah right" a lot. The one highlight was Nelgareth's death. Even there, I wish it would've been described in greater detail. He was such a great villain. I would've liked to see him more developed.

Overall, I loved the storyline for a young teen audience; otherwise it needs more depth, development and possibly expand it into multiple books.
I'll be keeping my Bookstagram post up today through the pub date. Beyond that the book cover image will remain in my ARC highlights @AprilsBookishLife in Instagram all year. The review will is up now on Goodreads and Twitter (links included). I will also gladly post a review on Amazon after publication. Thank you so much for letting me review it early.

Maralyth, a winemaker’s daughter, has a secret. Born with a magical power that most people believed was lost or stolen long ago, she uses it to help the vineyard. However, when others learn of this secret, Mara’s entire life turns upside down. A young woman who never wanted more than to be a successful winemaker has the throne thrust upon her when she is kidnapped and told that she is the rightful heir.

With her life and the lives of those she loves threatened, Mara has no choice but to take the throne and become a better ruler than the current greedy king. Her feelings change when faced with the harsh realities of the coup and she meets the handsome and kind prince. Will Mara reveal her secrets? Will she ignore her feelings and take the throne?

Written from dual perspectives, Alec and Mara, The Stolen Kingdom focuses on the thoughts and feelings of both characters. I like that you really get to understand both characters – their motivations, desires, concerns, and more. Mara is selfless, strong, and cares deeply about others. Alec is kind and sincere. He cares about the people and doesn’t want to rule if it means taking on dark power. I think the dual perspectives allows for an in-depth and honest view of both Mara and Alec. It also shows how similar and well-suited they are.

The blossoming relationship between Alec and Mara is sweet and complicated. This enemies-to-lovers romance is easy to root for. Both Mara and Alec are smart, brave, and kind. They both have a love of and interest in winemaking. Mara, in particular, has a long and strong connection to the vineyards and winemaking. It’s in her blood, and her power responds to living things.

Both characters also seem trapped in their current situations. Alec is surrounded by darkness and people who thirst for power (and magic). Forced to be part of a coup attempt, Mara’s actions are controlled by those who want to usurp the throne. The fear, uncertainty, and feelings of entrapment draw the couple together, as do their similar good qualities. Mara and Alec feel like they can be themselves with each other, which is all but impossible in their world of political intrigue and manipulation.

The magical aspects of the story are really interesting and highlight the age-old battle between good and evil. Good magic and bad magic, as well as good people and bad people, contribute to the story’s action, excitement, and character development. Lies, political maneuverings, betrayals, and secrets from the past, all of which relate to magic, also enhance the plot. Alec and Mara reject the dark magic and all it entails, and they both want to find a way to rid their world of it. However, this proves almost impossible.

I also loved the vivid imagery throughout the book. I particularly liked the bird imagery, especially in relation to Mara, who frequently feels caged and longs for freedom. There is one scene where Mara is served dinner, a tray of delectable food with a beautiful bird in the center. This bird, served up on a shiny platter, is similar to Mara, who is being trained and presented (not on a shiny platter but in shiny and new clothing and baubles) as the perfect figurehead. Later in the same scene, Mara describes the bed in her kidnapper’s home as “a nest of comfort in the midst of a nightmare.” This evokes such strong bird imagery and feelings of entrapment, and it highlights Mara’s fear, helplessness, and desire for freedom.

I enjoyed this standalone fantasy and think it will appeal to readers who like young adult fantasies with a great enemies-to-lovers romance. I also think people who like books with cool magic systems and political drama will enjoy the book. Thanks so much to NetGalley, Tor Teen, and Jillian Boehme for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! I don't often read standalones, so it was very nice to read a book for once that wasn't a deep/long investment in world building and characters. To enjoy a story as just that, a story. A brief ride with some new fun people, to see where they went.

It was exactly the refreshment I needed after reading long series for ages!

Mara is sweet and likeable, and the romance between her and Alac is slowly built up.

She makes a nice MC, and is not annoyingly incapable or whiney like some can be. I liked seeing her discover her magical capabilities and unravel her family tree.

Alac is also interesting, and watching his personal growth was rewarding. I think both characters were given a good ending.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of The Stolen Kingdom in exchange for an honect review.

While I'm normally a huge advocate for more self-contained fantasy stories that don't require sequels/trilogies, this book needed to be two books. The Stolen Kingdom sets itself up to be a well written take on the "fantasy character ripped away from normal quiet life when they find out they have magical powers has to kill a leader but accidentally falls in love while acting as a spy" trope, but so many things are rushed. Normally I'm okay with a bit of instaromance in these kinds of books, but because Boehme has clearly come up with a more complex, dynamic relationship that the plot needs to function, we flip from hatred to love to hatred to love way too quickly way too many times because of the short page count. This should have been 2 books so we could actually get to know the character and world. It would have fixed every issue I had with it.

This book was a fast and entertaining read for the most part but I felt like it was a little too, YA. It seemed too innocent for the plot of the story.

Mara was smart, and likeable and I love reading about MC's who plot and think things through. She didn't seem young or out of her league. The romance was sweet but it lacked passion, which added to why it seems like the book is for younger readers.

I think this was a pretty good stand alone read but I think it would've been more enjoyable if the author slowed a bit with pacing and focused on the world building and created a slower burn for the romance between Mara and Alac.

The Stolen Kingdom tells the story of second prince Alac and the vineyard owner’s daughter Mara. Both have a secret, Alac doesn’t want to be a prince and Mara has a talent for encouraging her family’s grapes to magically grow. Mara learns her magic gives her a claim to the throne and a plot to overthrow the king is set into motion. However, the king is linked with a mysterious magic that must be kept contained. When the coup does not go as planned, Alac and Mara must fight to control the dangerous magic now sweeping the kingdom.

The Stolen Kingdom is an interesting standalone containing many classic fantasy tropes. It ultimately missed the mark with me, but I do think younger YA readers might enjoy this more. The romance happens quickly and I found it hard to connect with the two main characters. My favorite part of this book was the dangerous magic, it was very compelling and mysterious. I would have enjoyed seeing more character development and slowing the pacing so that we could see more of Mara’s training, Alac and Mara’s friendship, and Alac’s relationship with his family. I also wish there had been more diverse and LGBTQ+ representation included. It wasn’t my cup of tea, but this could be a great place to start for a young YA reader looking for a beginner fantasy book. The Stolen Kingdom releases March 2, 2021. Thank you to Jillian Boehme, Tor Teen, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Standalone fantasy is so rare and I really enjoyed this one. I loved the idea of stolen magic, and the espionage in this book was fun and exciting. I think this will be a great one to recommend to fantasy fans!

I was very impressed with this book. It wasn’t something I would normally grab, but I’m excited that I did.

I really enjoyed Mara’s character. She was very unique. She has an interesting power that you wouldn’t expect an author to create, but it was done beautifully. I loved Alac’s character. He didn’t like what his father did and I loved his part in the book.

I especially loved the romance in this book. I loved how they grew together and I loved watching their romance blossom.

This book suprised me very much. It had a great world building. Strong characters and an amazing plot. It was very easy to read and sucked you right in. You just couldn't stop reading, you wanted to know what happens next. It was really wonderful and i can't wait to read more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I will start off by saying that I almost didn't read this book. If you find yourself in the first few chapters of the book and unsure whether you want to keep reading, I encourage you to give yourself through chapter 7 before you call it quits. I was struggling to find interest in the book until about chapter 6, then I was intrigued and wanted to see how everything would play out. I'm glad I did. It was a fast read after chapter 6.

Maralyth is a vintner's daughter who doesn't realize that the magic she carries is from a bloodline thought to be lost and stolen. When she is kidnapped and told that she is the rightful heir to the throne of Perin Faye, she agrees (against her will) to a plot involving the murder of the king and his sons. What she doesn't expect is to find one of the sons, Alac, to be kind and charming. She also doesn't expect him to catch her doing what he considers "good" magic. He then asks her to help him understand and stop the stolen magic that runs in his family from king to king. As the days drawer nearer to the coup against the king, Maralyth realizes that in killing the king and his sons, the magic will have no body to inhabit and will be loose to destroy all of Perin Faye. Her fear of the stolen magic and her feelings for Alac are what propel her to stop Alac from drinking the poison. Maralyth's decision has unforeseen consequences though when she finds herself on the run after Alac realizes that she was part of the plot to kill his father and brother. While on the run, she learns that Alac did not perform the ritual to inhabit the magic. She watches as the magic destroys the things around her, including her people. Despite being wanted for murder, Maralyth finds herself needing Alac to help her in order to stop the stolen magic from killing everyone and everything.

I liked that the story was told from both Maralyth and Alac's point of view. I enjoy hearing how both the main characters think and how they feel about each other. Maralyth is a strong, female character who cares for others and in doing the right thing. Alac is a little hot-headed and definitely lets his heart make most of his decisions, but he makes a good counterpart to Maralyth. I also think the dual point of views work well for pushing the story forward. It kept me turning the pages to find out what happened next, especially when Maralyth was on the run from Alac.

I wouldn't say that this story was by any means an absolute must read, but it was compelling and captivating and it still deserves five stars.

Getting into this book was initially hard, to be honest. I think the pacing of the first quarter grated at me. It would have been okay in the first quarter but after that, there's just a lot of input and I really wanted to get into the action and romance part. Nonetheless, this book did not fail to execute what it promised: enemies to lovers with intricate magic system.

The characters were complex which I appreciate, they make it all the more interesting. Mara is forced to take her mother's work due to her death in their kitchen--in which she could have spend those time enhancing her secret skills. On a series of events, she was kidnapped and was forced into doing horrible actions. Alac, Mara's counterpart, is second in line for the throne and does not want anything to do with it. Both met in uncertain circumstances and from then on, it was insta-love. I probably would have been more invested if there were a bit more backstory and in depth in their characters. But nonetheless, it still entertained me.

The concept of this book was splendid but the world building felt lacking to me. Intricate details make the story more vivid to imagine, hence I was disappointed on that segment of the book. This one was character driven which I don't mind. It kept me rooted until the end. I think the ending was nicely wrapped which many standalone fantasies failed to execute.

A highly recommend to anyone who wants to read a fast paced standalone fantasy enemies to lovers with magic system.

Thank you Netgalley and Tor Macmillan for sending me an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 stars.

I would recommend it to friends looking for an easy, fast, standalone fantasy with secret enemies to lovers to enemies to lovers romance, cool wine shit, and fun magic systems.

This story had many many good things going for it. Its a standalone, but the world and magic still feels rich, which I think is normally the biggest let down of a standalone fantasy novel.

I really enjoyed the MCs, Maralyth and Alac. Maralyth is naive, but also competent and quick witted. Alac is broody but not over done. They're relationship in the first half of the novel is very believable and not too insta-lovey (though it is relatively quick). But it feels genuine and I liked it a lot.

Like the romance, the first half of the book was really strong. Where I feel like it faltered for me was the second half. It wraps but very quickly, in a little bit too perfect way. If this had been a series, I see many places where it could have cut off to then make a whole other book with twists and turns and ended up at the same outcome. But it just sorta breezes right through to the end.

There also is a lack of a clear villain, which some times can be nice but felt a little underwhelming in this case. **Spoiler** Like a crazy pregnant 16 year old ends up going crazed after her fiance is murdered and ends up being the face of the evil magic. She's killed within a few pages of her "showing her true colors." It seemed a little one faceted to me.

Despite the flaws, I enjoyed the time spent reading this book. It was a nice light read that went by fast.

3/5

In a kingdom where magic is forbidden to all but the king, a young girl hides a terrible secret. Raised since she was a child on her father’s vineyard, Maralyth has always known she possessed magic, an act that could endanger herself and her family if discovered. Upon finding out that the very magic she’s been taught to hide is proof of an ancestry worthy of contending for the throne, she is immediately entangled in a cruel plot to supplant its current ruler. To do so means courting death, and the outcome far more deadly if she fails.

Now I’m all for court intrigue. Never has it been said that I am not a fan of drama. Mix all that together with ill intentions, and a sinister plot that threatens the current state of governance, and I’m sold. For the most part, The Stolen Kingdom hit the brief on what it was trying to accomplish. It’s a short and sweet standalone that packs quite a punch, all in under four hundred pages. The characters are likable, with the arc of the main character being perhaps my favorite thing in the novel. Just really here for stories about women reclaiming their power and then using it to serve their own interests. There is something about that that never fails to entertain me. Where this story inevitably falls short though, is in everything below the surface level of the novel. The world building was incredibly underdeveloped, and most of the supporting characters lacked the depth that was needed of them. This is clearly the outcome of an overambitious plot that tried to cater to so many different audiences. Not saying that a project like that is impossible to accomplish, but to execute something of that nature requires a steady hand. Each element felt that it either had too much attention paid to its exposition, or not enough. The romance for example, came so far out of the left field I could not enjoy it at all. Not only did the two love interests lack enough romantic chemistry, but the development of their relationship was devoid of any real substance. Altogether a let down seeing as the romance was what drew me into this in the first place. Generally speaking, this will probably be a hit or a miss for most people, a risk I think comes with reading any standalone.

Trigger warnings: blood, violence, gore, murder, death of a main character, abduction, self harm

What I loved
- The story.
- The twist at the end.
- Alac.
- The pace
- Simple magic system. With not too much jargon.

What could be better
- The descriptive writing. There were parts of the book we didn’t need certain bits of information. Some of it felt too much like it was just filling pages.
- Maralyth, she didn’t resonate. She felt cold. Maybe that was intentional though??
- We need a little more chemistry between the 2 MC’s. As a reader you need to feel it in your bones. That there’s a spark. A fuse. Anything!
- Not enough world building..


I did really enjoy this. But it took a while to get into. The end twist was good and I didn’t see it coming so that’s always good.