This is an enjoyable read with a great heroine and an interesting magical system. I liked the world building but felt some aspects were introduced but never followed up on. Hopefully this will be addressed in the next two books. This is a fast-paced enemies to lovers story that ends on a cliff-hanger.

The liar’s crown will be a perfect addition to my classroom. Ms. Owen did a great job with this story that runs in the same genre as Shadow and Bone. Meren is a twin the possesses the power to manipulate sand. She is abducted by Reven who can manipulate shadows on the night of her coronation. Is Reven the man she assumes he is? I could not put this book down. The story drew me in from page one and didn’t stop. I can’t wait for the next book to come out!!!

There are books where you are like "get to the point" and then there are keeper ones you want drawn out and never end. This is a keeper one for me. Meren's journey was unique and you never knew what was going to happen next. Her relationship with Reven was slowly built up. No rushing here. There was action and some twists. Overall a fantastic read.
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Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Once again I was seduced by a beautiful cover and title but kept reading the book for the plot and characters.

The Liar’s Crown is a fast paced, action packed fantasy that follows Meren, princess of Aryd, who has lived her whole life as her twin sisters secret body double in dangerous situations. While doing her task she gets confused for her sister and gets kidnapped by the Shadowraith named Reven who claims that he needs her help getting rid of their shared enemy king Eidolon who has been taking and killing first born princesses of Aryd for years.

The plot of the book was exciting from the very beginning and it stayed that way till the ending. The magic system was unique and easy to understand. Same with the world in which the story takes place in.

Meren was a great main character and it’s impossible not to like her. Even though she is a princess she was raised in the desert and that made her strong, brave and compassionate towards her people. She was also forced to hide her power to control sand since childhood. The moments when she finally got the chance to embrace her magic was so fun to read about because it’s when we discover her true potential.

All the other characters were likeable as well for example Vos and Cain.

When it comes to the aspect of romance it’s the only one that I find to be lacking. It’s not that I didn’t like the relationship but instead it felt rushed. My opinion is that it would’ve been better if we got some of the romantic scenes closer to the ending of the book since it would leave more anticipation for the sequel.

In conclusion, this was an amazing read and I can’t wait to see how the story’s going to continue in the second book.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Liar's Crown had me hooked from the very beginning. Abigail Owen created an interesting new world with characters you will want to see again. Meren is a cursed twin in a long line of royal twins who are terrorized by the evil shadow King Eidolon. She is kidnapped on the eve of her sister's coronation by Reven, the Shadowraith who has secrets of his own. It is no coincidence that the name Eidolon is a nod to ancient Greek literature and the writings of Homer, Poe, and namely; Whitman. Is this book classic literature? No, it's not. It is action-packed fantasy fun that kept me up way too late last night finishing the first installment.

The story follows Princess Meren, a twin sister, who is kept secret and used as a body double for her sister when needed. Being mistaken as her sister, Meren gets kidnapped by the morally grey Reven. From there Meren learns so much about the world she lives in and must stop the evil king from taking her sister’s throne.

I loved the magic system in this story and the tension between Meren and Reven is just perfect. Who doesn’t love enemies to lovers? I also loved Meren as the main character. Her snarkiness with Reven was my favorite. I found the story to be mostly quick paced with a few chapters that dragged on. The world building also got a little confusing at times but I absolutely enjoyed reading this book and can’t wait for the sequel.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing, LLC and NetGalley for the ARC! The book follows Meren, who lives her life in hiding and whose purpose in life is to act as the body double for her identical twin sister Tabra, the future queen. Meren has power over sand, and Tabra has power over the soul. While standing in one day, Meren gets kidnapped by the Shadowraith, who has no idea he’s taken the wrong girl. Meanwhile, the immortal King Eidolon wants to marry Tabra and use her powers for evil, and Meren must stop him before it’s too late.

I really enjoyed this, it’s exciting and action packed and left me wanting the sequel immediately. I loved Meren, she’s brave and strong and good despite her shitty circumstances. Reven is definitely morally grey book boyfriend material. I loved the banter between them, it was basically Meren giving Reven a hard time and him pretending not to like it. There are lots of secrets and betrayals and monsters and romantic moments and all kinds of good stuff, definitely recommend!

This was a difficult book to put down. Tabra and Meren are identical twins, princesses in the realm of Aryd. But Meren, born second, is a secret, there to take the place of her sister should the worst happen. King Eidolon has long been the enemy of Aryd, He seemingly will live forever and . When Meren is mistaken for her sister and kidnapped by the Shadowraith Reven, who looks just like Eidolon, she fights back and sparks fly--a variety of sparks. Meren is a Hylorae, able to pull sand out of the ground and melt it to glass. She's not fully in control of her powers and becomes more and more attracted to her kidnapper as they spend more time together. With Reven, Meren learns of problems her world is facing and wants to help solve the issues.

Meanwhile, her sister Tabra is to marry Eidolon. Meren and Reven desperately hurry back to Aryd to try to stop the wedding with the King. Sprinkled with magic, romance, and adventure, this high fantasy ends with a cliffhanger and leaves the reader waiting for the story to continue.

Recommended for fans of Cinda Chima, Cassandra Clare, and other fantasy tales.

This is the first book that I’ve read by this author. What an amazing start to a new series. Character development and world building provided an immense depth to this story. The magic systems were very detailed, it was fast paced with a plot leaving you wanting so much more.

Meren has lived a life of hiding. She is a twin, born second to her sister, the named princess. Meren only appears as her sisters double when danger is near. Meren struggles with where her place is in her world. Upon the unexpected death of the Queen, the princess gets a gift and marriage proposal from King Eidolon. So Meren steps in on the eve of the coronation, only to be kidnapped by the Shadowraith. He has his own secrets and magic, mysterious as he is. Reven (the shadowraith) is a complex character and I loved the tension and banter between him and Meren. Now Meren has to kill the King along with Reven in order to save her sister from the darkness. Will Meren be able to escape and do what she needs to do?

This is such a great fantasy full of tension, suspense, secrets, lies, angst, curses, magic, adventure, banter, spice, twists and turns in this enemies to lovers epic fantasy. I can’t wait to read the next book to see what’s going to happen next.

I received this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.

As is true today, monarchs need to have an heir and a spare. Meren is the hidden spare whose life is preserved so that she can sacrifice herself in order to protect her sister,Tabra, the heir. When their grandmother, the queen, dies, Tabra and Meren must assume their roles in the kingdom. Meren is kidnapped shortly after the arrival of Eidolon, a seemingly immortal king from a neighboring kingdom. In her journey with the kidnapper, Meren learns that the world is not the way she thought it was. The other issue Meren is facing is the fact that she has powers, gifted to her at birth, as does her sister. On her journey, she learns more about her powers and what she is willing to do to protect those she loves and possibly, how to protect all people from the evil that is Eidolon. The ending felt a bit abrupt, but I hope all questions will be answered in a sequel.

If you’re looking for a sweet, compassionate, gentle heroine, you’ve got the wrong girl with Meren. In this insanely creative YA/NA sci/fi fantasy novel, Owens takes you on Meren’s trip through another world with supernatural powers, friends, lovers, and the fight of her life. Her adventure is tinged with self discovery and royal responsibility which makes this plot and the characters she encounters enthralling. I couldn’t put this down and sincerely hope there is a sequel because I’m needing to know what happens next with this one!

The overall premise of this book is what immediately dragged me in to want to read. I loved the world building, but at times I feel like the story dragged on with the same pressing issue that really didn't get shown until the last 10% of the book. I really was hoping for more of adventure kind of story given that our main character Meren has such a unique gift.

Truthfully I liked this story and with the way in which we are left at the end of the book I will certainly be picking up the sequel whenever that is due to come out.

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Thank you to the publisher & Netgalley for this ARC!

I was provided a digital copy of this book in exchange for my review. You guys…this book was addictive! I mean, call in to work and take a personal day to read addictive! I could not put it down. Meren and Reven’s characters so beautifully built into a relationship I fully invested in. I love when an author takes the time to develop the characters and their connections into something so believable that my heart aches when theirs does, and flips when theirs does. It’s such an enjoyable journey. I didn’t want this book to end, and I cannot wait for the next one to be published. Thank you for introducing me to this amazing author, and giving me the opportunity to read and review this gem!

I was pleasantly surprised by The Liar's Crown. Abigail Owens is a new-to-me author, since I'm not a big paranormal fan (I know, what am I thinking??). Going in with no expectations, I was frustrated at first by what felt like a very common setup and protagonist, but I was quickly won over by the twists and turns of the story, as well as Meren's whip-smart narration.

Meren is a fantastic YA protagonist: confident in a lot of ways but unsure in other (realistic) ones. Watching her grow makes the adventure of the novel all the more likable and interesting. I appreciated the steady characterization Owen uses, especially since while Meren grows, she doesn't fundamentally become a different person/character, unlike some YA protagonists. To sum up, Meren is Meren is Meren :) The secondary character/love interest is also well done: decently complex and sympathetic.

While I felt as though the worldbuilding was a tad on the flimsy side, I did appreciate the thought that went into the magic system. It felt, however, as though I was reading a spinoff novel of another series or something and I was expected to be familiar with the world already. Not a deadly sin, but I was occasionally confused.

I did like the plotting. I stayed up far too late a few nights thinking "just one more chapter." The twists were very well done and ones I didn't usually see coming--huzzah! I like being tricked by books :) I am very much looking forward to book 2, since the cliffhanger ending on this one...!!!

Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for the book ARC. All opinions are mine alone :)

Many thanks to the Publisher and Netgally for providing me with a free copy in return for an honest review.

I so badly wanted to love this book, but I'm stopping halfway through because I just can't motivate myself to continue reading anymore. And that sounds bad, but honestly, I'm just bored with the direction the book has taken.

The premise of this book was so good! Twin sisters, one an actual princess and one a body double to protect her sister from ill-wishers around the kingdom. There's an evil king who intends to murder the princess and of course everything goes tits-up from the moment we start reading.

The writing felt comfortable for a fantasy book. I was expecting a lot of hard to pronounce words and terms and sure, there were a couple (Hylorae, Enfernae for example), it wasn't all that bad! I easily got a grip on the story and it's characters and was excited to start this journey.

The plot execution however, was a little lacking. There was a lot of infodump at the start, causing me to have to take notes on the different magic users in the kingdom to keep everything straight. This did get better over time, but it was a lot to handle in the first few chapters. The narrator and main character Meren sometimes used words that felt completely out of place with the setting of the book. It almost felt too modern for the setting of the book, which didn't match.

At the halfway point a lot has happened and at the same time I felt as though nothing had happened. <spoiler>Sure, Meren was kidnapped by one of Eidolon's shadow personalities and they've travelled across several lands, but nothing really came of that. The story focussed more on the romance between the two (which eventually turned out to be insta-love, a trope I don't vibe with) than it did on the world building and creating a natural relationship between the two. </spoiler> There was a lot of telling instead of showing and it just added to the list of things that kind of put me off the book.

I didn't really care for the characters either. Meren and Reven (I only just realised that those names are creepily similar), I just couldn't get a grip on them. There was a lot of focus on their building (though almost immediate) relationship and not a lot on their personalities. Meren is described as a girl who can definitely fend for herself, though in the 50% I've read I don't remember her standing up for herself or fighting a monster herself. Reven, our looks-like-he-could-kill-you-is-actually-a-cinnamon-roll love interest was just one big fluffball of cotton candy. Sure he looks all dark and brooding, but every time he was around Meren, he just transformed into this loving puppy following her around. It just didn't hash with the setting and the premise.

I really had to tell myself to read. Whenever that happens, I already know the book isn't my cup of tea. I hate it when it happens, because naturally I want to love and cherish all the books I read, but sadly this just wasn't it for me.

The Liar’s Crown is an entertaining and immersive YA fantasy and the first in a new series by Abigail Owen. I’ve read many of Owen’s adult novels, and the author has transitioned to YA wonderfully. The characters, the world-building, the magic, the ROMANCE – it’s all fantastic!!

Merin is a layered protagonist. She’s brave and selfless, and she never gives up. She’s a bit sassy, and she is sarcastic and witty. Meren has spent her entire life in the shadow of her twin sister, who is the future queen. Often standing in at events that prove too dangerous for her sister, Meren lives to protect her sister, which leads to her kidnapping. Though she has one purpose in life, she longs for so much more, and her epic journey, both emotional and physical, is so intriguing! I also like that we see Meren, faults and all. She is not perfect, nor does she profess to be, but she owns her faults and tries to grow from them.

Reven is really interesting too, and I was so eager to learn more about this brooding and mysterious character. Was he a villain or a hero or somewhere in between? The more I learned about him, the more I wanted to know, especially as his past is slowly revealed. During her time with Reven, Meren meets many others, and these characters are all unique and developed as well. I found myself getting attached to the secondary characters and could understand why Meren did too.

The enemies-to-lovers romance is one of my favorite parts of the story. No shock there! Meren and Reven have great chemistry, and their witty and sometimes antagonistic banter has major grumpy/sunshine vibes. And talk about sexual tension! It’s off the charts! Meren and Reven are opposites in many ways, and though they start as enemies, they learn they’re more alike than they think. I love how their relationship builds, and some of their more tender moments are super swoon-worthy!

The world-building and magic are intricate and detailed, which creates a super immersive and vivid story, as does the writing. Owen has a way of pulling the reader right into the book and brings not only the characters but the world to life. The plot is also really intriguing and filled with twists and turns. There’s a ton of suspense and adventure, and I found it difficult to put the book down. There’s so much going on, and danger lurks around every corner for Meren, which makes for a pretty gripping story.

The more I think about this well-paced and engaging story, the more I like it. The characters are compelling, the story is unique and intriguing, and the romance is fantastic. I would definitely recommend the book to readers who like upper YA fantasy or romantasy, and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!

Thanks so much to Entangled Teen and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

Very creative! I felt this was pretty unique to anything I've read to date. It had a very interesting storyline and I'm loving all the different characters.

Meren is an easy heroine to want to root for. She has a high sense of loyalty and a desire to do what's right for all involved. Her power is still developing and I'm curious to what all she will be able to do once she has stabilized it.

Reven is a very unique character. He's everything that is good, however he is battling pure evil from within himself. I won't spoil and expand on that. I like him for Meren, but I also like Cain for her as well. It'll be interesting how I feel with the next book.

I can see many possibilities with this series, which I like. I'm looking forward to seeing the direction the author will take us.

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 3.5/5

𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚: Fantasy series (book 1)
𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩: eARC

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙:
Twin princesses
The Shadowratih: morally gray, moody, possibly evil MMC
Interesting magic system
Enemies to lovers romance
Fake identity
Fun read!

𝙁𝙪𝙡𝙡 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬:
This was a fun, easy read that took me barely a day to finish. The FMC, Meren, is the second born princess of the kingdom who must act as her sister’s body double. When the Shadowraith mistakenly kidnaps her instead of her sister, she finds herself in the middle of a dangerous political game between kingdoms, and she realizes that everything she’s been raised to believe may not be what she thought.

There’s snarkiness and banter plus romance and a little spice (yes please!), as well as awesome shadow magic, stealth and deception, and a great mix of action and battle scenes. The Shadowraith honestly reminds me a little bit of the Darkling (yes, I might have pictured him as Ben Barnes)—he’s got such a difficult past and really struggles with toeing the line between good and evil. Meren doesn’t back down in front of him, and is so fearless and snarky. They make a great romantic duo!

My only issue with the book was that some of the world building was a little confusing, and could have been given more context or description. It took me a while to catch on to the names/types of the different types of magic, or the different locations/peoples of the kingdom. There is definitely a lot to digest here, and honestly I was enjoying the plot so much that I was reading kind of fast and may have missed some things.

Overall this was a really fun read! Look for it to be released on August 30!

4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the e-arc for an honest opinion.

Please take in mind it’s my opinion, and everyone is allowed to have one.

This book was so much better than I expected, I dived right into it and loved every second of it. The plot and just the whole book, was so well written. Absolutely liked how the story went on.

To see how Meren grew as her character and her power? Bloody amazing! She was such a strong character!
It was so nice to learn about each character and their powers.

I truly can’t wait to see what’s coming next!

The Liar’s Crown might be my favorite fantasy of the year. It had an interesting twist with twin princesses, with one never being known to the public to serve as a body double. Unfortunately, the body double was kidnapped which brings on a whole set of events. I thought the main characters were witty and had a lot of depth. The world building was done fairly well, even if the portal situation was sort of confusing. I liked how Meren grew into her own and eventually embraced her true value. Meter was naive or weak which is something unique to this novel compared to other popular fantasy heroines. I wish it wouldn’t have ended so abruptly, i.e. now I have to wait for book 2. There was one detailed, racy scene that honestly could have been made more vague. Overall it was pg-13.