3.5 stars rounded up

There was lots to like about this book, like the different strands of magic, the worldbuilding around the First Prince story, the main characters, and the slow burn romance elements.

However, there were things I found frustrating, as well. The big plot reveal at the end was fairly predictable, although I did appreciate some of the explanations about the magic.

I didn't like the cliffhangers at the end, either. There was no resolution at all.

However, I did enjoy the book, and I will be anticipating the next one!

This book review has me in deep debate about what to rate it. On one hand I was hooked with Dagmara’s plotline, but I didn’t like Magdalenaas that much after the first couple of chapters. I wanted to, because I wanted to know why she was the way she is compared to everyone else. (Trying to make this spoiler free). Dagmara's had me hooked from the first sentence and the pain and growth throughout the story had me on the edge of my seat for when it was her storyline.

Overall I enjoyed this book, I mean come on assassin switches with a princess, I am 100% there for it. I am on an assassin reading hook so far this summer that is for sure. I can't wait for the next book in the series.

I REALLY really, enjoyed this book. I am very new to the genre but every single aspect was delivered masterfully for me. Detailed and solid world building which made me lose myself and totally escape reality. Interesting and lovable main characters which felt very realistic and made me 100% invested in finding out what happens next. Romantic storylines that gave me butterflies and plot twists and cliffhangers to make me wanting more! I did find I had a personal preference for Dagmara and her story, especially as I found wonderful that an invisible illness was represented so well. But overall massively enjoyed this book and I would highly recommend this to any fan of the genre will be left waiting for the second book in December!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my review copy, all opinions are my own.

I was lucky enough to be accepted as an ARC reviewer for this book and golly gosh it did not disappoint! The Mad King and the False Queen has an elemental magic system, hidden identities, royalty, assassins, politics is oozing with forbidden romance. To say I devoured this book would be an understatement, I listened to it in the e-book ‘read aloud’ function in n every spare moment. I often find that in novels that are co-written you can pick moments where each author has their own flavour, but this story flowed seamlessly. The book is fast paced with lots of twists and turns and characters that you can’t help but fall in love with. It gave me a little bit of ‘princess and the pauper’ vibes… if the pauper was an assassin and both characters were on perilous adventures finding romance where they shouldn’t. This is an easy 5 stars for me and I will be very eagerly waiting to get my hands on a copy of the sequel after that cliffhanger! #themadkingandthefalsequeen #netgalley #odieforpresident

I received an advanced reader's copy of The Mad King and the False Queen (Book 1) by Hope Abrom and Amanda Abrom from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, I quite enjoyed the book and it made the afternoon fly by while I read. There was action, adventure, intrigue, and scheming. The characters were well-crafted, the pace of the novel was steady, and the world building was engrossing. Definitely worth reading!

This has to be one of the best YA Romantasy books I have read in a while! I am hooked and desperately need book two... Like, right now!

✨Dual POV
✨Princess and Assassin swap
✨Hidden Identities
✨Chronic Illness rep
✨Marriage of Convenience
✨Elemental Magic
✨Enemies to Lovers
✨Furry Best Friend🥹

This story has it all and the world building was done brilliantly. The dual POV for the FMC's was written so well, two completely polar opposite characters with one of them who has a chronic illness which she doesn't let define her. There are so many secrets and mysteries which get uncovered. By then end of the book there is so so so much more still to be discovered.

I think my heart broke a little bit, all I want to do is wrap Claude up in a blanket and give him a big cuddle. 🥺

Seriously you will not be disappointed with this book!

Thanks Abrom Sisters & NetGalley for the ARC and giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review!

“It was so easy to encourage someone else and not take the advice for herself.”

“The Mad King and the False Queen,” by Hope Abrom and Amanda Abrom

Princess Magdalena is about to get her magic but finds out her magic isn’t what it is supposed to be. When that happens, the kingdom is thrown into chaos when the king and prince were assassinated. Magdalena has very little options, so she “agrees” to marry the Mad King from a neighboring kingdom, but she decides to trade places with the royal assassin Dagmara. Dagmara will pretend to be the princess while Magdalena is searching for evidence about who killed her family.

This book was so good. It has so many different tropes; disabled FMC, tons of political intrigue, arranged marriage/ marriage of convenience, royalty, fake princess, magic, poisons, and so much drama. I wish the romances were a little bit more romantic but im sure it will do that more in the next book with this book having a heavier world building feel to it. I loved the characters. The multi POV story was a little confusing because the people call them the opposite name, but it was still really good. The ending was so freaking good OMG. I can’t wait for the next book. 5 out of 5 stars.

-Disabled FMC
-Multi POV
-Arranged Marriage/ Marriage of Convenience
-Fake Princess
-Assassin
-Magic

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

The Mad King and the False Queen
⤷ ⭑⭑⭑.𝟱

.☘︎ ݁˖ ❝ For the betterment of our kingdoms. ❞
❝ And the safety of our people. ❞


⊹₊ ⋆ The four kingdoms of the land are ruled by royal families, each with a guardian appointed every generation with magical powers over the elements. The Kingdom of Azurem is ruled by the Life Guardians, who can manipulate water and heal injuries. Princess Magdalena’s coronation was interrupted by an attack that would not only affect her kingdom but also the lives of all guardians. Dagmara, an assassin for the Azuremi kingdom and Magdalena’s best friend, works with Princess Magdalena to uncover the secrets of the guardians and the attacks on the kingdom, starting with the sudden marriage proposal of Claude, the Mad King of Ilusauri. .𖥔 ݁ ˖

First of all, does anyone agree with me that the book should’ve been titled differently? This is because I didn’t expect the dual POV that switches between Dagmara and Magdalena in each chapter. I honestly wasn't a fan at the beginning, especially since it was told in the third person, but I eventually found it better to see the situations going on between the two characters.

The plot development was good, with each chapter raising the stakes. However, learning more about the backstories of Dagmara and Magdalena’s friendship would have been nice. Understanding how their friendship started and why they would risk their lives for each other would have added depth to the story. If there was a chapter about it, it was not memorable since I might’ve missed it.

Since Dagmara is an assassin, I thought she would be more discrete with her investigations at Ilusauri and have a better judgment of character. But I found myself questioning many of her decisions and reactions so it was pretty frustrating. You would've thought being an assassin would make her harder to crack under pressure. ++ I preferred her interactions with Martine and Sabien because of the banter, but I can’t help gushing about the slow burn between her and Claude.

❝ Since the moment you arrived, no matter how much it initially bothered me, you have spoken to me as though I am not the Mad King, but just a man. It’s as if this madness isn’t my only defining characteristic. Because of you, I am irrevocably doomed, but somehow…I relish this destruction. ❞ 𖥔‧₊˚ ⊹


The pacing started very slow with Magdalena’s chapters, but it eventually picked up when her quest for understanding the guardians and their powers intensified. I also found myself getting more excited about her interactions with Ravi. Boy, this man makes me swoon. Because of their interactions, I ended the book with more than half of my highlights or annotations!


୭₊⋆ Magda leaned her back against the wall, letting out a soft smile. ❝ I think our relationship is better off the dance floor. ❞

Ravi stepped closer, putting his arm on the wall next to her head and leaning close. ❝ Oh, so you’re saying we have a relationship then? ❞ ⊹ ࣪ ˖


RAVI TWISTING MY HEARTSTRINGS

༘ ⊹ ❝ I told you before that when I saw you in the marketplace, it’s like one song was ending and another symphony was starting. You’ve made me feel alive again, and for once, I feel like I can have hope in a brighter future. ❞ ꕤ

Initially, I rated this book 4 stars, but after some contemplation, I gave it 3.5 because there is always room for improvement! Overall, this was a new and fresh plot. It was pretty predictable until the end, but that tiny twist before the ending was pretty good. I'm looking forward to getting the answers to the mysteries we still have yet to solve in the next book. ALSOOOO, PLEASE GIVE US MORE MARTINE AND PIERRE! I NEED MORE OF THEM IN THE NEXT BOOK.

“The Mad King and the False Queen” is described as an epic tale of politics, forbidden magic and desire. The tale centres around a royal assassin called Dagmara, and Magdalena, who is the Princess of Azurem and also Dagmara’s friend. This premise sounded promising, as I have loved similar books before..

There were definitely some well-written parts in TMKATFQ. The first line drew me in, and some of the world-building was fascinating. But while I really wanted to enjoy the book, its execution fell short for me. I ended up DNF-ing at around 15% in.

One reason why is that the FMCs’ emotions are explored, if at all, in a superficial manner—by telling instead of showing. I also could not lose myself in the story because the dialogue and dialogue tags were so awkwardly phrased..

I’m so upset I can’t recommend this book… Apologies to the authors.

_____

This review will be published as a post on my Instagram account, @for_ambrolia (The Great Ambrolian Library), within 48 hours.

Thank you to NetGalley and the authors in exchange of an honest review

A fantastic start of a new series. A fantasy book with political intrigue and a hot romance, what more could you ask for? I highly enjoyed my time reading it and was engrossed in the story the whole time. Definitely a book I'd recommend

I really appreciate the ARC provided by Netgalley and the author I was super excited when I was approved for this, i think everyone will love it! Again, my thanks and I look forward to more from her.

So so so good. Loved this book so much! The feels I got reading this book was fenomenal. I rated it 4 stars. Love it so much

Title: The Mad King and the False Queen by Hope Abrom and Amanda Abrom
Release Date: May, 18th, 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Stars

In the kingdom of Azurem, Princess Magdalena's impending coronation is overshadowed by the discovery of her unique, volatile magical power, casting doubt on her right to the throne. Meanwhile, Dagmara, a skilled assassin loyal to the royal family, suspects the Mad King of murdering the princess's father. When Magdalena receives a marriage proposal from the Mad King, the two women devise a plan to switch places.

While Magdalena investigates her powers and embarks on a quest for answers, Dagmara infiltrates the Mad King's court to uncover the truth behind the murder. As she navigates dangerous politics and uncovers ancient secrets, Dagmara finds herself entangled with the Mad King's captain, torn between her duty and her growing feelings. Their journey leads them closer to a truth that could change the kingdom forever.


This book surpassed all expectations, delivering exceptional world-building and storytelling.
The alternating perspectives of Princess Magda and Dagmara kept me on the edge of my seat, with each chapter's cliffhanger leaving me craving more.
The intricate web of emotions and romantic entanglements added depth to the story, and the shocking reveal at the end left me speechless.

I commend the well-crafted plot, rich character development, and inventive magic system, eagerly awaiting the next book. The author's deliberate and imaginative narrative style made the complex world easy to navigate, blending fantasy, romance, and action seamlessly. With its twists and turns, including betrayals, this book had me completely captivated, and I'm eagerly counting down the days until the next instalment.


Thank you to The Publisher Abrom Authors ,The Author Hope Abrom and Amanda Abrom & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

I received this ARC book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.
Oh. My. Days. I had been just saying to a friend the other day that I wanted a book that sucked me in and didn't want to let me go. That is exactly what I got with this book! It started off a little rocky and it took me a few chapters to get my head around who the characters were and what way the world worked, not to mention that the 3rd person POV threw me because a lot of the books I have been reading lately have been in 1st person. I'd also like to point out that I'm a sucker for dual POV's.
Two young women, one assassin and one princess, who end up swapping places after tragedy strikes. This story was so well written and the authors have this talent of ending chapters on mini-cliffhangers, leaving me bleary eyed but totally invigorated. The story unfolds so organically, nothing is forced and answers don't come easily. There are plenty of twists and turns, not to mention betrayals that you see coming and ones that you don't. This book exceeded my expectations and I loved it. Sometimes the writing made me cringe a little but those moments were few and far between. I was so frustrated that my life was getting in the way of reading.
Dagmara - the assassin with responsibilities outside of the crown. Her character is true and doesn't suddenly become uber powerful. She works within the confines of her physical state (that's all I'm willing to say on that subject), knows how to gain an advantage and isn't afraid to use it.
Magdalena - the princess who finds out that her families magic isn't her magic. She wants to travel to talk to other royals in other regions in order to understand what is going on. She is on the hunt for answers and ends up in a whole heap of trouble. She is loyal and loving and these qualities get her into a few scrapes. But she's a likable character all the same and she becomes more likable as the story progresses and she starts to find answers to her questions.
The Mad King Claude - well he is so much more than he seems. His character just keeps getting deeper and more complex as the book continues. He did come across a little bit sappy at one point but his madness is enough to balance that out.
Ravi - the violinist that comes to Magdalena's rescue a few times. Was it all a little convenient? Can he be trusted? Well, you will have to read to find out.
Sabien - Claude's Captain and right hand man. There's a little tension between him and Dagmara and it keeps things very interesting.
The plot twists (and did I mention betrayals and potential betrayals?) kept me at the edge of my seat and sucked me into the world the way I wanted to be. I CANNOT wait until the next book is out!