Cute, but unfortunately I didn't like it as I hoped. It reminds me too much of another book (Twin Crowns). I don't think I will continue reading the series.

"The Liar’s Crown" by Abigail Owen is an enthralling and imaginative fantasy novel that whisks readers away to a world of intrigue, magic, and daring adventure. Owen's storytelling prowess shines as she weaves a tale of deception, loyalty, and the quest for truth. The book's vivid world-building and well-crafted characters create an immersive reading experience that resonates with young adult readers. Owen skillfully blends elements of fantasy and mystery, leading readers through a journey filled with twists and revelations. "The Liar’s Crown" is a captivating read that offers a thrilling escape into a realm where secrets unravel and destinies are forged, leaving readers eagerly anticipating each turn of the page. As the characters navigate the challenges before them, readers are left with a sense of wonder and anticipation for the epic adventure that unfolds.

Enemies-to-lovers + forced proximity = a major win!
The Liar’s Crown by Abigail Owen is a young-adult fantasy in which a royal line births twin girls every second generation. The first-born is of course deemed the heir of the throne, while the second-born is raised in secret as a “substitute”. Unbeknownst to the rest of the realm, there is an evil king who always manages to kidnap and assassinate the queen. To protect the throne, the surviving twin stays on the throne. No one knows any foul-play ever occurred.

I know you must have many questions after that intro, but let’s skip to the good stuff.

We follow Meren through her troubled existence as a replacement princess. She’s been raised with a duty to protect and/or die for her older sister. This is as much apart of Meren as the blood in her veins. When the time comes to protect her sister, she does so willing. She just doesn’t expect to fulfill her duty so quickly. Within an hour of the queen’s death, princess Tabra (Meren) is stolen by a handsome stranger who can bind her with shadows! No one can see or hear her because of the mysterious shadows holding her.

I know this is all “stockholm-syndrome-esque” but hang with me here.
Of course the troubled bad-guy has some good in him. He’s stolen Princess Tabra for an honorable reason, even if it takes a while to discover that. My favorite part of this book is the journey of Meren and her captor through dangerous territories together. He tries to present himself as mean and fierce, but he inevitably shows that he cares about her well being through his actions. Meren plays along, but definitely causes him grief in her attempts to escape. While surviving together, they definitely move from enemy territory into the friendly zone.

You’ll need to read The Liar’s Crown to see how they graduate from the friend zone!

This is definitely an exciting young-adult fantasy, but it has a strong focus on romance. So much of the book is spent with Meren and her captor building their trust and relationship. I hope the romance story line gets as much credit as it deserves. While Meren is fighting to stop an evil king and keep her sister and herself alive, she can’t help that love falls into her lap. I couldn’t stop turning the pages of this book, and then did the hypothetical jaw drop at the end. Abigail Owen gave us just enough closure to not go into a rage on her social media accounts, but also left us dying to know what comes next.

Now, I wait impatiently for the next book in Meren’s story!

A Massive Thank You to the Author, the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this book prior to its release date.

I received an e-arc/audio arc of The Liar's Crown by Abigail Owen from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I don't know why I waited so long to read this, it was so fun and enjoyable. I was pleasantly surprised, as I didn't know what to expect, and no one is talking about this book. It's tropey and entertaining, the first book in a fantasy romance trilogy. I was here for the romance and might have to pick up the sequel after that cliffhanger.
3.5 stars

I apologize, I wanted to red this book, but was unable to read this book in the permitted timeframe. Life got in the way, but now I am back, so if this is released to me again, I will download, read and review it.

Being a twin princess who serves only as a body double to her sister who will now take the thrown and queen. Meren sees litte worth in herself unless it's to die in place of her sister Tabra. Minutes before her coronation Meren (disguised as Tabra) is taken by shadow. Meren must escape and find her way back to save her sister before something else happens to her.

I really fell for this series. The ever changing application of the characters abilities and how they are able to overcome sucjlh difficult situations is so exciting to read. I find myself thinking about all the ways that Meren may be able to use her abilities as whe continues to grow into her power. I love that she is starting to beleive that she has worth outside of her identity as her sister. Other characters growth is also so inspirational.

I am so glad that Abigail designed this amazingly diverse world that has so many different lands in it. Jumping from a place that is extremely hot with tons of sand at Merens disposal to one that it cold or even frozen where abilities are hard to reach for. I enjoy learning about the features of each place as well as the diverse people and creatures in each.

I have also already binged on the second installment in this series and I say it is well worth it! Don't wait.

This book was so fun. It felt fairly predictable since I know a lot of the tropes, but I still loved reading it. I very much loved the “who did this to you?” Trope. It does funny things to my brain. It was written so well in this book and I felt myself tearing through the pages. It was such an enticing read

The Lairs Crown by Abigail Owen (Book 1)
The book is based on the concept of one twin as the heir to the crown……and a spare!

Two Queen to rule a nation ones always kept a secret. What happens when this Queen is kidnapped

I have absolutely adore reading this book. A fantastic story with betrayal, court lies, some romance, and more is The Liar's Crown.
I really enjoyed Meren, the main character; it's amazing to witness how her magical abilities and personality changed from when she could only create glass balls to when she could create full-fledged glass walls, portals, shards, and so much more!
Her sister is slated to succeed to the kingdom after their grandma passes away. Of course, there will be danger at the coronation, so Meren is set up to keep her sister safe. Reven steals her away to keep her from falling into Eiolodon's hands, an enemy of the throne.

Reven wasn't exactly sure what awaited him. Meren is clever, sassy, and not at all what he anticipated. They have the best banter. Reven is the ideal tormented love interest—slightly risky yet attempting to do the right thing. For him as well, things are not always as they seem, and some days he can hardly keep it together. If handled well, morally grey love interests may be thrilling, and Reven is just as moody and dark as that.

#NetGalley #arcreader

Meren and Reven - loved it! Their barbs, refusal to backdown and yet their undeniable attraction. Very well done. I loved their relationship.
Also the supporting cast - very well written. A hero saving those who call out for help. A secret retreat providing safety.
The use of magic - especially shadows added some serious creepiness.
A quick and engaging read.

Well, I can definitely tell you that the ending… IT WAS SO UNEXPECTED!
The Liar’s Crown is a good read with betrayal, court lies, some romance and more! The book is fast paced and the chapters were short which in some ways it makes it easier to read - but at the same time, I fine it quite annoying that the chapters are so short.
I really liked the main character, Meren - you can really see how her character developed magically and in terms of her characteristics where once she could only form glass balls, now she can form full on glass walls and portals and shards and so much more!
Reven was also a good character to explore and you could really see the difference between him and his shadows.
I liked the ending but at the same time I felt like there could have been more… that it could have ended in a better way, especially with Tabra because she was no longer under the kings control. Either way, the ending was interesting!
I. Really need another book after this.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me free access to the digital advanced copy of this book.

Young adult fantasy can be very hit or miss for me so I started The Liar's Crown with a little trepidation. As it turns out, I had nothing to be hesitant about. Classic tropes, magic, a little romance with a little spice, and a well-built fantasy world made this one a fun read.

Meren is an interesting protagonist. Since birth, she's been trained to be a copy of her sister, the real princess. She's had all the training to talk like her, act like her, and take her place should danger arise. It's kinda a bum deal, but Meren takes it very seriously. She doesn't whine about her station or her sister for that matter. It's just the way things are. When their grandmother dies, her sister is set to take the throne. Of course, danger may be present at the coronation, so Meren is put in place to keep her sister, and the real queen to be, safe. Before any of that can occur, Meren is stolen away by Reven to supposedly protect her from getting in the clutches of Eiolodon, a tyrant and enemy of the crown.

Reven didn't quite know what he was in store for. Meren is witty, full of sass, and not at all what he was expecting the meek princess to be. Their banter is perfect and what an adventure they have set themselves on the road for! Reven's the perfect tortured love interest, a little dangerous, but trying to do the right thing. All's not what it seems for him as well, and some days he's barely holding it together. Moral gray love interests can be exciting if done right and Reven is as broody and dark as they come.

While Owen didn't do anything to reinvent the YA fantasy genre, the world-building is top-notch and the magical elements were distinctive. You can easily engross yourself in the story without getting distracted by things that just don't make sense. The characters were entertaining, apart and together, and gave just enough steam without completely losing the adventure of things. The Liar's Crown is a solid, young adult fantasy that I'd recommend for fans of the genre.

What a good start to a trilogy! This book had really lush world building and I enjoyed meeting the characters. I think Owen did a really good job of fleshing out side characters in a way that means I’ll be interested and invested in their story going forward.

I did think the book lost steam in the middle - from approximately 40-75% of the book I was just waiting on the characters to catch up to where I was waiting with the plot. I also really wanted to see more interaction between the princesses - I wanted to care for her sister in a way I never really got to.

Unfortunately, I could not get through this book. It had all the elements of a great fantasy novel, but it ultimately fell flat in pace and characters. DNF at 41%

I really enjoyed this one. The twin used as a stand in/ploy for the main royal is one that’s used often, but Owen put some very fresh spins on it. The magic was new and interesting, and I loved the love interest. And the tie between him and the king was super interesting and new. I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to read the sequel.

A wonderful magical fantasy book.

I love this book and look forward for the second book.

The Charakters are very unique and special for me.

I fly through the pages.

I am obsessed with Abigail Owen. I need more and have been chasing the feeling of reading this book since i finished it. I am ready for more.

This seemed too similar to another YA novel, I just couldn't get into it despite the similarities to another YA book.

Dang these books are so good! Why don't I see this book on booksta? I mean twin heirs and one is a decoy for the Queen she is kidnapped. The dark handsome stranger thinks she is the Queen when she is just the one sent into danger, so good job twin you are doing your job. But this guy is a very complex character who seems like he could easily be a villain because of how he became him but he's out there trying to be heard for this area and the people he protects. But dang he is scary and there are some crazy animals in that forest.
There's secrets, hidden powers, major attraction, shadows and so much more.

Thank you entangledpub and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.