ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest and fair review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Such a good YA fantasy book *screams*. Once I started reading it I couldn't put it down and I stayed up till dawn just to finish it.

In the dominion of Aryd, in every other generation in the royal bloodline twins are born. This is a well-kept secret nobody is aware of but the royal family: the first twin becomes the crown princess and consequently the queen, the second one lives in the shadows and must do anything to protect the first twin. This also means the second twin must take the first one's place in case of dangerous situations and if the first twin dies, she must take her throne without anyone knowing. Thus, this is the life for Tabra, the first twin and future queen, and Meren, second twin who would do anything for her sister. When their grandmother, the Queen, dies, Tabra is the rightful successor. However, at precisely the same time, Tabra receives a letter from Eidolon, the dangerous and evil King of Tyndra, who asks for her hand in marriage, so Meren decides to take her sister's place at the pre-coronation cerimonial to protect Tabra from Eidolon who is already on the way to them. The only problem is that Meren doesn't manage to get to the cerimonial as her sister because she gets kidnapped and taken away from the castle. And here her adventure starts and she finally gets to feel free for once in her life, even if she is still "Tabra" for her kidnapper.

This is one of the few YA fantasy books which isn't a repetition of everything we have already read again and again and there was not even a single thing I didn't like about it. The enemies-to-lovers trope was on point and it wasn't rushed at all. The author took her time with the revelations without spoiling anything too fast. Moreover, I loved how in depth AO got in describing Meren and Reven's thoughts and feelings, especially toward the second half of the story. I love the description of the scenery and the traits of the different realms and places (e.g. how Eidolon is dry and full of sand or how luxuriant Shadowood is and full of life).
I still cannot wrap my head around to how Reven found out the princess she kidnapped is actually Meren and not Tabra and he gets all furious, but he still has a (huge, may I add) soft spot for her. Obviously. AND THE FINAL PLOT TWIST AAAAH!

I loved it so much. I need book 2. NOW. please.

My rating: 4.5!

4 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for a copy of this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

This was a dark, thrilling ride, full of secrets, shadows, lies, and curses - and I loved it a great deal. The world-building in this novel creates a unique setting, and along with the intriguing magic system and two fantastic lead characters, I was quickly hooked.

What's great about this book?
- Meren is a wonderfully strong FMC, who has lived her life in the shadows of her sister. Ironically, she is kidnapped by a shadowraith who shows her there's more to her than being second best. At no point in this book did I feel that Meren was weak or the lesser twin. She is formidable, reckless when necessary, relatable when fearful, and determined to help those she can. Knowing how selfless she is even when she has been raised to be discarded at the first sign of trouble for her twin, made me love her even more.
- Reven also is fascinating. Sure, he has a lot of the common traits of other fantasy male leads (that I adore), but I really enjoyed the shadows aspect of him and his struggles to control them. I liked his vulnerable sides and how far he was willing to sacrifice himself for those he cared for. Both Meren and Reven have a lot in common, like calls to like, and I enjoyed watching him embrace that as time continued.
- The banter between both main characters and side characters alike is great. Mouthy Meren was a lot of fun.
- The romance is balanced well with the risks involved, and I appreciated the timeframe that their connection evolved over.
- The found family aspect and Shadowood itself.
- As I mentioned, the magic system and the dominions this world takes place in are really interesting and different from other books I've read with similar tropes. I'm eager to see how they'll play out in further novels in this series.
- The betrayals, revelations of lies and plot twists were all timed extremely well.

Things I didn't quite enjoy:
- Sometimes the story felt like too much was happening at once and I was struggling to imagine all as it happened. But this was such a small gripe overall.

Final thoughts:
The placement of where this book ends has me very eager to see what happens next. If you like dark YA fantasy, with a dash of romance, self-discovery, and fighting for a greater cause, this is definitely one to add to your TBR.

Overall, an interesting premise. Though, at times I felt that the romance was too central of a plot point. Meren and Reven would often go into instalove rather than have their relationship develop naturally. To be honest, the kidnapping trope did not help much with this. I would have much rather read flashbacks or just some indication of the relationship between Meren and her sister, but we only got a few pages of that,

Unfortunately this book was a DNF for me. There was too much tell rather than show, lots of lines that didn't make sense or felt unnecessary, and the romance was very insta-lovey. The guy kidnapped her but not even a day into her being held hostage she was resisting the urge to 'lean into' him and making jokes with him.

In short, the writing felt a bit amateur to me.

However, I do feel like in the right hands, this story will be amazing! The concept itself and all of the plot lines are very interesting in of themselves! It just wasn't for be! I wish the best to Abigail. I will still be recommending this book so that the right readers can find and love it!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Entangled Teen and Abigail!

The story is about Meren, a second born twin in a royal line where twins are common and the second twin always lives as a shadow princess— an incognito life where she is trained since birth to be her elder twin's double in every way. And is expected to take her place in times of danger.

When an old enemy comes forward with a wedding proposal for the future Queen Tabra, Meren decides to take her twin's place and meet the mysterious king before she does. But when she's kidnapped by a handsome, enigmatic man Reven who mistakes her for Tabra, Meren is thrust into a new journey with a man who has as many, if not more, secrets than she does.

This was a surprisingly good read! The magic system, the world, the different kingdoms (complete with their unique magic, monsters and landscapes) was really intriguing. The writing is fast paced and the characters are funny (especially the banter between Meren and Reven which I really loved). The whole twin mystery was handled really well and I gasped when Reven figured that part out because let's face it, that was what I was looking forward to ever since I read the blurb. 👀

The ending was really shocking and the epilogue left me with so many questions. Will recommend this to all fantasy lovers who love a convoluted plot.

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

What a gem!

I'm not a particularly die-hard fantasy reader, but this book was so hard not to love. There's romance, there's suspense, there's shadows, there's spicy scenes, there's LGBTQ representation... there's literally so much. The main character, Meren, is a twin forced to live her life in the shadows. A secret stand in for her twin sister, the crown princess, she has literally lived her life waiting to die in her place. When she was kidnapped by the mysterious (and very complex character), Reven, she finds her world widened to beyond her own country's borders.

Perfect for fans of the famed ACOTAR, the sequel can't come soon enough!

The characters and plot were interesting but could be fleshed out more. The vernacular used doesn't really match that time period and there were weirdly timed reveals. Wasn't super sold on the connection between H and h. Still an enjoyable read and will continue to see how the story nets out.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me an arc!

The Liar's Crown was a delightful NA fantasy tale. The premise was interesting and nicely executed and Meren was an engaging heroine. I wasn't sure what to think about Reven at first, but he soon grew on me. Their romance perhaps felt a little fast, but I was willing to buy into it and enjoyed the steamier moments between them. Actually, Reven was probably the most intriguing character in the book. There was originality to his backstory amid the standard NA fantasy tropes and I turned the last page still eager to read more and find out what would happen next. Eidolon was a bit of a vague villain in this first book, but he only appeared in person towards the end, so I hope we will get to know him better and understand his motivations more in book two. Overall, though, this is a solid start to a new NA fantasy series and I would absolutely pick up the second book when it comes out. This first volume gets 4.5 stars from me, which I will round up to a five.

(As per your preference, I am holding my review until closer to release date. It will go live on my blog on 9 August, at which point I will also share on Goodreads and social media.)

Meren is a twin and was born to be a secret backup Princess in a desert kingdom. Every few generations an immortal king from another kingdom comes to steal a queen, but he never steals the secret backup. Even though it must be obvious when the queen is still there even though he’s taken her. It’s Meren’s sisters time to rule and Meren’s time to be backup, but while preforming backup duties she’s kidnapped by a shadowy figure that needs her help! But he’s kidnapped the wrong princess! The lies start to unravel while kingdoms are trying to be saved.

I really liked the authors writing style. It flowed really well and I had no trouble keeping up with the story. I like the concept, though I find it hard to believe they’ve been doing this backup princess thing for generations and no one knew. The Shadowraith is an even cooler concept. I didn’t see if anything said there would be more books but I’d definitely be interested in seeing more about him and more world building in general. The narrator (Meren) has supposedly be trained to be queen so she can be her sister’s replacement if she needs to be but she never fully explains what each magic type is and what they can do. A chart or graph in the front of the book would be super helpful. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and will definitely recommend it.

It was love at first sight. When I first laid eyes on The Liar's Crown months ago a connection was formed. The premise sounded great and the cover is beautiful. I couldn't stop thinking about it so I was super excited to be approved on Netgalley. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read.

Twin princesses. One born to take the throne, the other to hide in the shadows until needed. Meren has lived her life in service to her sister and the royal family. When their grandmother the queen dies her sister, Tabra, is set to be crowned.. An evil king has his own plans to wed Tabra. Before Meren can intervene a mysterious shadow kidnaps her. Lives and kingdoms are at stake. Will Meren be able to stop the king in time?

Did The Liar's Crown live up to the hype in my mind? Yesssss! It was more than I could have hoped for. As soon as I started reading the prologue I knew I was going to like it. It was a very effective prologue. The world is so full of detail. The writing perfectly sets everything in its place. There are no empty backgrounds or shallow feeling here. A lot happens in the book in a relatively short period of time so it truly feels like an adventure.

There are some amazing magic scenes, pretty and deadly. The world or kingdoms are beautiful and varied. There are portals, monster filled oceans, and creatures you don't normally find in a forest.

The characters are great and even if some had a small part I felt like I got to know them. Meren is not a typical princess. She can and will take care of herself. And just wait until you meet Reven. Wow is a great description for him. Wow is also a great description for The Liar's Crown. I LOVED it!

OMGGGGG! I can’t tell you how excited I was to have received an ARC for this book because it is just up my alley! What an amazing plot, stunning characters, and wonderful writing! I can’t wait to read more from this author!

When I saw this cover I was immediately interested in this book, then I read the synopsis and I signed up for arc reading the book! I was so happy I got the opportunity to read it and I'm glad I did because it's really good!! For starters it's enemies to lovers, I always love that!
It's 1 pov and first person, also something I love.
The world is unique with special powers and abilities. A lot of plot twists and a lot of action! You will not be bored while reading this book!
The book reads really easy and I didn't want to stop reading! It was constantly on my mind when I had to do other things.
I definitely recommend this book to every fantasy book lover out there!

an enchanting, page-turning read with a savvy, kickass mc who will definitely keep you on the edge at your seat all the way! true to what the title said, this book was full of lies. it’s giving what supposed to give!

meren is an interesting character whose mind is certainly fun to delve into. the banter between her and reven… whew. i had to let out a breath i didn’t know i was holding. the royal twins concept is what keeping me hooked till the end. the other meant to rule and the other meant to, what? sacrifice themselves? what a cruel fate. but also, engaging read.

meren and reven are such a lovely pair. and by lovely i mean they’re always ready to slit each other’s throat happily. who said romance is dead? anyway! the bond between meren and reven grows stronger as you keep opened a page. and after *that ending*? i can’t wait to see where abigail owen takes them next.

i love the worldbuilding and the politics tension. the characters sometimes are making dumb decisions or sacrificing myself for other without clearly thinking the consequences but other than that i don’t have any issues! solid book with a romance sparks right off the page.

thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Teen for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Teen for allowing me to read and review this book! I absolutely loved it!

The Liar's Crown, has everything you want in a fantasy story; amazing world building, good magic systems, strong characters and character development and just the right amount of romance! For those who love strong female focused worlds, strong female main characters and classic fantasy tropes, this book is most certainly for you!

The Liar's Crown had me instantly sucked into the book from the prologue, and kept me engaged and interested the whole way through. I really enjoyed the strong main character Meren and how her story progressed. I am looking forward to what Abigail Owen will give us next!

The beginning of a jaw-dropping series filled with laughs, romance, and magic!!!

WHAT. A. STORY!!! I enjoyed every second of it! The world-building is just phenomenal and the characters are just simply the best! Love them!! But Meren though is such a badass like the way she carries herself is just so right and the way she talks is so bold can we not give Reven a break before he snaps and also can we not see what he is capable of yet there we go keep poking at him!🤣
I guess that's also why I like her so much cause her responses are so much like mine like you are an idiot! 🤣🤣🤣 And Reven! OH. My. GODS! What a man! But I won't say anymore cause you will want to read about this dashing man YOURSELF!!! Now the ending is something I won't recover from til book 2 falls into my hands cause SO MUCH HAPPENS! I had to reread it a couple of times cause it went from Awww to BAM, BAM, and GASP and on that note check this book out!!!!

Thank You Entangled Teen and Netgalley for the eARC!!!

I was excited to read this story when I read the blurb and saw the beautiful cover. The idea of a royal body double was unique and intriguing. I was expecting some political intrigue and a fight to protect the royal line as well as herself in her role as a stand in but was disappointed when the story left the palace altogether and the entire point of being a royal double seemed insignificant. While the story started out well with so much promise, it lost me once Meren left the palace and everything became a trope-filled Love story. While I did like the Reven and Meren ship. I felt like the story would’ve been more satisfying if it’d been told another way with them. Sad to be disappointed when with such a premise the story could’ve been so much more.

One born to rule and one to forfeit everything about my life is a lie as a hidden twin princess born second I have only one purpose to sacrifice my life for my sister if death comes for her I’ve been living under the guise of a poor obscure girl of no standing slipping into the palace and into the role of the true princess when danger is present now the queen is dead and the ageless king Eidolon has sent my sister a gift an eerily familiar gift and a proposal to wed I don’t trust him so I do want I was born to do and secretly take her place on the eve of the coronation which is why when a figure made of shadow kidnaps the new queen he gets me by mistake
I really enjoyed this book I couldn’t put it down it’s such a must read I highly recommend
Thank You NetGalley and Entangled Publishing LLC
I just reviewed The Liar’s Crown by Abigail Owen. #TheLiarsCrown #NetGalley

This book is a very refreshing with the other YA/NA books out there! I absolutely LOVED the main character. She was badass from the beginning and didn't really change much to conform to the love interest which is so nice! Loved the backstory of the love interest too. Something that seems complex and hooked me in to see how they can defeat the protagonist. The world building was a little confusing, as I had to reread the descriptions a few times to really imagine the place! There's a few places that don't seem to align with the timeline but it all comes together beautifully at the end and I am excited for the next book! I also liked the sister of the main character and really hope the author does a switch of POV's for the next book. I only say this because a lot of info was dumped towards the end since we had no connection to the castle, so we had to read a lot of Information of what had happened while a lot was happening at the same time! An amazing read and really loved the premise of it!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me this advanced reading copy. This book was out of this world fantastic. I was so intrigued by the plot, and the romance was everything I wanted and more. I don’t know what I was expecting when I requested this book but it provided it on a million different levels. Definitely will be buying a copy for myself, and for my friends.

A kingdom with a well kept secret. A king who most likely knows the truth, never appears to age, and has plans for the future queen of Aryd. Meren is the best kept secret, trained in all the ways of royalty, but will never be queen. Her sister has lived in the palace and Meren switches place with her in times of danger. A mistaken identity takes Meren away from her home and into the hands of the Shadowraith. But as she learns more as to why she was taken, she sees people who have found a new home and a new purpose. However, the evil king has plans for her sister and Meren needs to stop him, but at what cost? An extraordinary novel by Ms. Owens, with action, adventure, romance, magic, betrayal, and so much more!
I received this novel as an ARC from net galley and the publisher. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.