he Liar's Crown started off strong. I liked how it jumped right into the action. Character development and world building were top notch. The writing style was appealing. The only major issue I had was the pacing. There were long periods of time where it felt like nothing was happening to progress the plot. Overall, a fun fantasy romp.

I love, love, loved this book. Packed full of action, secrets, and just enough romance that this normal adult fantasy romance reader could get behind the story.

Non avevo aspettative riguardo a questo libro ma devo dire che è stato una piacevolissima sorpresa!
E l'ho decisamente adorato!
Non posso negare di avere un debole per i personaggi che hanno il potere dell'oscurità, e Reven è misterioso e dannatamente affascinante. Ho anche adorato il trope delle gemelle al potere di cui una serve come fantoccio a protezione della "vera" principessa. All'inizio dubitavo che mi sarebbe piaciuta questa storia dato che gran parte si stava svolgendo durante il loro viaggio. Ma è una parte assolutamente necessaria per l'evoluzione della narrativa e dei sentimenti dei protagonisti, soprattutto di Meren che può finalmente cercare di essere libera e se stessa.
Purtroppo il dovere e la necessità di salvare la sorella e il regno la rimettono presto in riga e deve mettere da parte i sentimenti nati per il fantastico Reven. Ma sono certa che nei prossimi libri vedremo altre scintille nascere tra i due! Anzi dei veri e propri incendi!
Sono davvero contenta di aver letto questo libro e non vedo l'ora che escano i prossimi volumi! Li divorerò sicuramente!

Grazie mille Netgalley per avermi permesso di leggere questo libro in anteprima!
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I had no expectations regarding this book but I must say it was a very pleasant surprise!
And I definitely loved it!
I can't deny that I have a soft spot for characters who have the power of darkness, and Reven is mysterious and damn charming. I also loved the trope of twins in power, one of which serves as a puppet to protect the "real" princess. At first I doubted I would like this story as much of it was taking place on their journey. But it is an absolutely necessary part of the evolution of fiction and the feelings of the protagonists, especially Meren who can finally try to be free and herself.
Unfortunately the duty and the need to save her sister and the kingdom soon put her back in line and she has to put aside the feelings born for the fantastic Reven. But I am sure that in the next books we will see other sparks arise between the two! No... real fires!
I am really happy to have read this book and I can't wait for the next volumes to come out! I will definitely devour them!

Thank you so much Netgalley for letting me read the preview of this book!

`4.5 stars = i really liked it. Meren is the secret princess, even though she has been raised to be the standin and protector for her twin sister who will be Queen, she's managed to carve out a life while hiding. When time comes for her to step into her destined role she is mistaken for her sister and kidnapped by the myterious Reven leaving her sister vulnerable to her kingdoms greatest enemy.

I liked author Owen's first foray into a story for younger audiences a lot. I really liked both Meren and the broody tormented Reven. The story as a good amount of adventure and I liked the idea of generational hidden twins - in the past the hidden twin had to step in to reign when a queen was lost. There was a touch of romance which is often problematic when a kidnapping is involved, but it didn't ping my squick-meter her. With respect to the romanance there a couple steamy scenes and the steam level ends up making this story more New Adult than Young Adult -but level is much less steamy than her regular adult romances. I personally liked Owen's less steam writing, because it left room for more story.

So, I really liked Liar's Crown and am really looking forward to the next book to find out what happens next to Meren. Apparently this will eventualy be a trilogy.

ARC courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley - release date August 30, 2022

Liar's Crown by Abigail Owen is an excellent young adult fantasy. Spectacular world-building, witty, hilarious dialog and a well-plotted story make Liar's Crown a novel for anyone who loves great fantasy. Meren was born the second twin to Tabra, the future Queen of Aryd. The girls are identical except that Meren came in to her powers and Tabra has not. Meren can control sand, moving it and transforming it into glass. In their culture, the first born girl is Queen and the twin is a back-up, body double, filling in anywhere the queen might be in danger. When the former queen dies, Meren must drop everything and steal away to do her duty for her beloved sister. Evil King Eidolon, who killed many former queens, has moved quickly and proposed marriage to Tabra. Grievously in fear for her sister, Meren, is preparing for the coronation when she's wrapped in shadows, literally, and kidnapped by the dangerous, suspiciously attractive man she assumes is Eidolon. She's whisked through portals and into a land of sea, ice and terrible monsters. Meren is horrified to learn that her kidnapper is not the King, but the Shadowraith, and worse - he believes he has kidnapped the real queen, Tabra. Meren is already bold and very capable, not the timid young woman Tabra seems, and she soon learns that there is more to her kingdom than she ever dreamed. The people and the lands have been sorely neglected. Can she save her sister, her kingdom and the rest of the land and people, all while fighting a growing attraction to the Shadowraith? What follows is a funny, scary and romantic read that will keep you up all night turning pages. I was happy to learn that there is a sequel coming out in Spring 2023. I will definitely purchase this book for our library - Meren is a great, positive role model and the story is captivating. Many thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read the ARC.

Wow...what an amazing read. It took me a little extra time to get through this one because I needed to take my time absorbing this tale.
I was on the edge of my seat the last few chapters and I can't wait to see what happens next!

Eighteen years earlier, twins were born. One princess will go on to rule the dominion of Aryd and the other princess will serve as a secret body double in dangerous situations.
Now that the queen is dead, Meren's sister will take her rightful place as queen and Meren will live in her shadows. With their enemy, King Eidolon set to arrive for the coronation, Meren will step in to take her place. The night before Meren is taken by mistake by the Shadowraith also known as Reven.

He's taken her to a place where he protects beings from different dominions, in order to ask for her help in taking down King Eidolon. Reven and Meren closely guard their secrets as they try to navigate the best way to see their plan through and save her sister.

Meren never expected she'd fall in love with Reven.

Thank you so much to the author, Entangled and NetGalley for this ARC to review.

“A monster’s power lies in our fear of him.”

I loved the premise of The Liar’s Crown - a secret twin, born to be an insurance policy in case anything happens to the Crown Princess. A high-stakes plot and a dangerous love interest. Lots of secrets, mystery and drama. Plus look at that gorgeous cover art! 😍

This book was a fun and entertaining ride - full of adventure, magic, romance and intrigue. We have characters that can manipulate shadows, sand, and other elements. The story was compelling and fast-paced despite all the traveling between dominions. The plot was complex and multi-layered, yet easy to follow. The world building was intricate and well-executed. I liked the balance between the romantic and fantastical elements. Events progressed quickly and ended in a major cliffhanger - I’m glad we don’t have to wait long for the sequel!

Many thanks to @entangledteen for the gifted copy! 🥰

“Zealots see what they want to see. People just trying to live their lives don’t want to acknowledge a problem exists unless it affects them personally.”

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. And thank you Entangled Publishing, LLC.

This was a really enjoyable read, and a fast-paced read. The world building and magic system were very creative. There were some typical YA tropes, but that didn’t make it any less enjoyable.

I ended up only reading about 20% of this before I listened to it on audio. I did enjoy the audio version much more than the written, but that's only preference. The story itself is fast paced and well written. Personally, I'm not a big fan of insta-love so it took me a bit to get used to it, but in the end, I really enjoyed the world created. Especially the monsters. The description for the book is a bit misleading, but in the end I enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love this story and I love Meren! I want to know more and can’t wait for the next book. I do wish we would have gotten more of an explanation about the powers some people wield and would have more information about the magic system. Reven is amazing as well and I love the interactions between him and Meren. This is a great read and had me hooked.

4.5/5 rounded down.
I have a love hate relationship with cliff hangers. I’m dying to get the next book in this. Which sucks since this was an ARC.

But overall I really really enjoyed this piece. I think the world was built well and I could understand what was going on.

I liked Meren, which I sometimes find it hard to like strong female MCs. There’s something about them that over annoys me in fantasy books. But I thought her character was developed well.

The conflict was well developed as well. I don’t think it was too dramatic. Sometimes I think the reaction of characters ’s is blown out of proportion in tropes where there’s hidden information or secrets. But I think here it was done well with conflicting emotions due to the nature of their relationship.

I honestly tried to get into this book really hard but I just couldn’t get into it. I will try later to reread it and maybe it’ll be good then.

BOOK REVIEW:

⭐️:5
🌶:1

Y’all. I just finished this book seconds ago and I’m not kidding, I would sell an organ to get my hands on the next one.

Snow White meets ACOTAR in this book jam packed with amazing things. Strong, independent badass FMC. Morally grey love interest. Tension so thick you could cut it with a knife. A little spice. So much adventure. And allll the action. I wish the beginning had been a little faster to get to the really great stuff, but I GUESS you have to world build and all, especially if it’s not going to be a standalone.

At a certain point I could not put this book down and started resenting my life obligations because they kept getting in the way of my reading. It’s THAT good.

Also.. how dare @abigailowenauthor have a cover this pretty! It’s out now, so RUN—DO NOT WALK— to get your copy!

I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. This book was so powerful on many levels. Identical twins, ageless king, shadowraith, and so much more. It keeps you on your toes from the word go. One sister is destined to be queen and the other with her life on the line to make sure nothing happens to the future queen. There is a lot going on in this book but in the best way. I still have questions but it is only the first book in the trilogy. I crave more of it. I wanted to read it and was hoping for the best, but sometimes books let you down. This was not the case with The Liar's Crown. I am excited for the next book.

Meren is a secret princess, the second born twin. It’s a lonely existence, her sole duty is to protect her sister Tabra, to sort of act as a body double in dangerous situations. On the eve of Tabra’s coronation, Meren takes her place…and is kidnapped. Of course since no one knows Meren even exists, the kidnapper doesn’t realize his error and thus begins a wild adventure. Just an up front warning, this is a series and as such you’re going to get to the end and find yourself saying ‘when is the sequel coming?!’ Abigail Owen has crafted an incredible world, loaded it with some truly memorable characters, and sent them on a wild and addictive adventure. 4.5 stars! So…uh…when’s the sequel coming? Thanks so much to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of The Liar’s Crown.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R2ZD41NG4XDDN5/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Going back and forth between 3 and 4 stars on this one.

Because while I found it super readable and the ending sets us up for what looks to be a particularly intriguing book 2, there were a few things that had me cringing or rolling my eyes.
Mainly the romance between Reven and Meren- it felt like every other instalove, YA fantasy romance out there, and I didn't enjoy it.

The plot itself was way more interesting to me, though I'm still a little confused by how magic works in the world. We didn't get to see a lot of Eidolon, but he seemed almost cartoonish as a villain. His motivations to marry the queen didn't fully make sense to me because surely there's more efficient ways of achieving his icky goals. Hopefully book 2 explores this a bit more so his character doesn't end up being so one-dimensionally evil.

So overall, though this did have flaws that bugged me, I'm interested enough in the characters and the plot to want to read the second book.

I love a good Prologue. It can hook me quick, and Abigail Owen has done it in The Liar’s Crown. I am a huge fan of hers and she did not let me down.

Hesperia served Eidolon, the King of Tundra. He is a charming liar who has tasked her with cursing the child. The child is one of two, a twin, and Hesperia defies the king, cursing the other child. Twins: one is Enfornae, who she blessed, and the other is Hylorae. What does it mean? I shall have to read on to find out, but I am very curious of what the repercussions will be, for the children and for Hesperia. We shall find out when Eidolon comes for the Queen of Aryd.

One twin will rule, the other is a secret body double in dangerous situations…to die in her place. Sounds sucky to me.

I am Mereneith Evangeline XII of Aryd. There are six dominions, each named for their ruling goddess. She is a tool. A nonperson. She turns her back on Cain, her best friend, when the Queen dies. She has things she needs to do, and he can’t help her.

The Shadowwraith, alone, villified.

I loved traveling the vividly created dominions, the magicals and the humans. I want to share so much about the characters, Raven…and Meren…but that would spoil things for you. I will say, they are magical, lonely, tools to be used. A man made of evil shadows. A woman who is an echo of the queen to be. I love when peripheral characters are as important to me as the main characters.

OMG. I was swept away with the shifting sand, hiding in the shadows, filled with fear for Meren, a heroine that will sacrifice herself ,while trying to save others and her new found love from the evil that is determined to rule the dominions. Nonstop action. Pacing that brought so many chilling thrills that made me want to read until I reached the end…I got lost and didn’t want to come up for a breath of air.

The story is not finished, but it did stop at a good place, if that is possible. I hope you are writing fast Abigail.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Liar’s Crown by Abigail Owen.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com

Shadows and darkness lurk in every corner and around every bend, shrouding not only the truth outside but that within.

Meren is the secret, second born of a set of twins. Her sister is destined to rule the kingdom, while she is fated to be the body-double and protect her sister at all costs. Meren's life is hidden from the world, and she's become an expert at hiding in the shadows, enabling her to have, at least, a bit of life outside a closed home. When her mother, the queen, suddenly dies, it's her sisters time to take the throne, which means Meren's true task begins, but with the first threat and Meren's first duty, she's kidnapped and dragged far away. Somehow, she needs to find a way to escape because while she's in danger, her sister has stepped into a deadly trap, which will put the entire world under an evil hand.

Reading this one reminded me a tiny bit of Shadow and Bone with bad guys to swoon over, powers as birthrights, and, for all things, shadows at every turn. The read grabs, does keep the tension high, and presents a complex world and characters to blossom and bloom through the series. It's well-written, flows at a steady pace, and offers many unexpected situations to make it impossible to see where the story is truly going...and so fun to guess what the path will be.

Meren is an intriguing character, who longs to have her own life...somewhat but not really. She does adore her sister from the deepest depths of her heart and is willing to fulfill her role, even if a part of her isn't always excited about that aspect. She's been pruned and taught to take her sister's place, and yet, is almost a street girl with some fighting skills, tons of spunk, and grit (?). Her largest concern is the people around her, and trust is something that needs to be earned. Or until she meets Reven.

There is so much to love about this read and the world, so I do recommend it highly...although it wasn't my personal favorite for a couple reasons. While some aspects of this book were amazing, others were neglected, especially on the relationship end. We meet Cain, her first love interest, who disappears after the first chapters completely and is barely thought of again (I expect to see much more of him and his people in the upcoming novels, though). Her sister, who she adores, is nothing more than a brief encounter, leaving the love between them like a faded whisper. Her nanny is never fleshed out. The grandmother's supposed cruelty never is more than a rumor or a left basket of food for supposed suffering civilians, which we never really get to see. The political end, around which the entire tension sits, is also without much background, base, or building. Even the evil is said to be evil, but the threat remains a tale most of the time. However, I'm assuming much of this will build in the rest of the series because there is a lot going on in this first book. And at over 400 pages already, only so much can be packed in...and what is there, is fun to read.

There is romance. Lots of it. While Meren's heart supposedly belongs to Cain in the first chapter or two, her kidnapper and his voice perk her interest immediately, leaving Cain in the dust. It's hidden instant love but drawn out enough to try to seek cover as a building one of sorts...which works for the YA realm. Reven is definitely captivating and has a heart of gold...and that's where this goes weird because while rough and gruff, in the beginning, and supposedly very evil himself, he's kind. Glimpses of his deadliness are here and there but disappear faster than the shadows themselves. I'm sure many readers will love this, and I'm going to wait with my judgement to see where it goes during the rest of the series because I'm not quite convinced or hooked, yet. But it is the first book, and I do want to see what happens in the second. So, that says enough right there.

It is more than worth a read and is a great start to what could be an exciting series. I received a DRC and am giving this one 4.5 stars while rounding up.

This fantasy story started in a fantastic and intriguing way, we have Meren and Tabra, twins but nothing is as it seems or what you even think. The story will drag you in, will held you captivated until the end and then you would want more. I absolutely loved the idea the author had for this story, the world-building elements are amazing and the character development was well done. Looking forward to reading the next one!

“𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝗲.”

🖤NO SPOILERS🖤

Everything about Meren is second; second born and second best. She has one purpose in life and that’s to stand in for her sister if she is in the face of danger… or death.

Yep, Meren was born so she could die in the place of her sister.

The Liar’s Crown is a retelling of a lesser known Grimms Fairytale about a man who sheds his shadow. Only for his shadows to become self-aware and take a life of their own.

Except, it’s so much more. The Liar’s Crown is such a creative and unique story entangled with lies, secrets, betrayal, romance, adventure, and magic.

Meren is a BA FMC who had me laughing to the point of tears a few times. Her sarcasm, and quick witty banter with The Shadowraith is a bright light in-between the dark parts of the story.

I’m not going to lie, I was up until 3 am last night sucked into this book and needing to know how it ended. It’s fast paced, with so many layers that I couldn’t put it down.

The ending was a painful cliffhanger, but thankfully this will be a 3 book series.

Which, I’m sure, I will be pulling 3 am nights again to binge those as well. 😂

Thank you to the Author and NetGalley for providing me with the ARC.