I am an avid fan of Abigail Owen’s and will read anything she writes! That being said, The Stolen Throne, Book 2 in the Dominion series, is even better than The Liar’s Crown. Each book has grown in depth and detail, from the world building to the characters growth. There is no shortage of action and danger.

I am a huge fan of book covers. Once I read that someone saw a lobster on the pretty cover of The Stolen Throne, I couldn’t stop looking at it. Check it out for yourself. Great cover, Elizabeth Turner Stokes. And, I love maps. Kellerica did a great job on the maps of Nova.

I read a lot of teen and young adult novels. Many times I cannot give them a five star rating, through no fault of the author or the story. It’s just not deep enough, engrossing enough, sexy enough, violent enough…well, you get the drift.

The Stolen Throne by Abigail Owen is an exception to my normal. The book was long, so I couldn’t finish it in one sitting, but I would have if my eyes didn’t start to cross, blurring the words. I was so engrossed in the details, wandering the worlds with Meren and her unlikely group of heroes, traveling through portals to places I never would have dreamed of on my own. I feel their pain, their struggles, their love, their loyalty…to the twin of the Queen, who was meant to be disposable.

I have a people to protect. I have a bondmate to save. I have a king to destroy.

We have moments to smile, even laugh. Moments to drown our sorrows in those lost. Moments of hope and inspiration, like Abigail Owen’s inspiration for this novel, which starts with an obscure Hans Christian Anderson fairytale about a man who shed his shadow, and when the shadow turned real, he took over the man’s life. She found her villain and her hero. I love when one character can fit both roles. It makes for a more interesting character.

I loved everything about The Stolen Throne by Abigail Owen.

I can hardly wait for The Shadows Rule, Book 3, due for publication in January 2024.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Stolen Throne by Abigail Owen.

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For 500 years, King Eidolon has harmed the Royal twins to prevent them from taking his ruling power over the Kingdom of Aryd. Meren, 19, is trying to save her twin sister Tabra who is under some horrific spell of shadow poison. With the help of several others, Meren is collecting amulets to stop the king once and for all. The group faces danger and deception and many challenges. The shadows threaten all.

Likes/dislikes: The concept of the story is interesting but new problems were randomly added which felt like unnecessary filler material. I became bored with the repetitiveness and filler content. I was not invested enough in the characters to make it an enjoyable read. Points of view transitions were confusing and disrupted the flow of the story. The first book of this series is much better.

Language: R for 124 swears and 5 f-bombs.
Mature Content: PG-13 for implied sex, woman with sheer top showing the dusky tips of her breasts. Vaguely detailed sex.
Violence: PG for non bloody death. Bloody injury.
Ethnicity: Ethnicity is predominantly white but there's mention of a bluish black skinned, white haired character and another person with tawny skin.

THE STOLEN THRONE was a great follow-up to The Liar’s Crown, and it picks up right where that book left us. Meren has done her duty and stepped in as Tabra, while Tabra remains hidden away. Now she must become Queen if she wants to stop Eidolon and his armies from seizing control. The storyline is tense and brutal as they race to stop Eidolon, and the journey is fraught with danger as they encounter enemies seemingly at every turn. The world-building continues to be phenomenal, and I loved how much the world expanded in this second book. The world is layered and detailed and intricate, and I enjoyed seeing Reven and Maren as they make their way across various landscapes and climates. ⁣
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The romance in this one is done SO well and it’s the absolute highlight. The first book in the series really laid the foundation for Reven and Meren’s fantastic relationship. Book 2 really rocks that foundation as Reven becomes almost unrecognizable, fighting a war within himself to not succumb to his true nature. This, naturally, affects his relationship with Meren, and I loved the angst and the tension and how much it made me *feel*. The romance is by far my favorite part of this series, and I loved how this particular romance just makes my heart ache at times. ⁣
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The ending is, once again, a cruel one, leaving us with more questions than there are answers. The wait for book 3 is going to be a loooong one and I will certainly be counting down the days…hours…minutes until its release. 5 ⭐️.

As the second book in the Dominions series, The Stolen Throne does not stand alone. In fact, it really should be read in conjunction with the first book, The Liar’s Crown. The Stolen Throne picks up pretty much where its predecessor left off. It’s part of a complex storyline that loses nuance when not read in quick succession.

At the center of the story are Meren (the backup twin) and Reven (a Shadowraith). The two are drawn together like magnets. They’re supposed to be together, but their connection could be their downfall. Meren is again the storyteller while Reven falls into a more supporting role. It’s a shift that changes the dynamic but also makes sense within the overall plot.

Abigail Owen’s world building continues to be strong with her taking readers to further flung lands and introducing impressive creatures. The magic structure that she has created remains complex and accessible. And there are definitely some swoon worthy moments.

As with its predecessor, The Stolen Throne features moments of sexual tension and one chapter that’s pretty steamy. It’s as close to graphic as you can get without being graphic, and would garner at least a PG13 rating. If you’re uncomfortable with this level of description, but still want to read the book — which is a strong fantasy — you could skip Chapter 77 and not miss any of the story.

The Dominions series is not for everyone. It’s not suitable for younger teens, but older teens and new adults will quickly get lost in the magic, mystery, action and romance.

The Stolen Throne is the second book in the Dominions series by Abigail Owen. After the suspenseful ending of The Liar's Crown, I was looking forward to seeing where this story would take me. It picks up with Meren under the evil eye of Eidolon. Reven, the Shadowraith, is on a rescue mission and the true queen of Aryd, Yabra, is a husk of her former self, clinging to life. And let's not forget Cain...

▪️Morally Grey Characters
▪️Found Family
▪️Betrayal
▪️Political Intrigue
▪️Young Adult

The world building is still as vibrant and atmosphericly sinister as the first. The journey Meren embarks on was definitely a highlight. Action packed with an almost quest-like feel through different dominions. Did I mention fighting off creatures? That too! You know how I love creature-features in books.

The found family and bonds between sisters are themes I enjoyed along with growth and a twisty plot. I sadly wasn't as thrilled with the path the relationship took between Meren and Reven. With everything going on it felt childish and in some parts it pulled away from the climactic scenes. And the intimacy .... Well... This was a lot different than what I'm used to from Owen, let's just say that.  As I mentioned, there is so much occurring that I was too eager to see what happens next that I pushed past those parts. I was also a bit off put by Tabra's part in this one, but I'll keep that under wraps for spoiler reasons.

Owen knows how to end with an epic closeout. If there is one thing that makes my inner feminine beast roar, it's when a female character finds her inner badass and takes justice (or vengeance) in her hands. I'm so looking forward to The Shadows Rule All and seeing how this trilogy ends. Thank you Entangled teen for the gifted digital copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review! True rating 3.5 out of 5.

(4.5 stars rounded up to a 5)

The Stolen Throne by Abigail Owen is a YA fantasy romance with paranormal elements, and the second book in the Dominions trilogy.

Mereneith is the hidden twin, meant to die for her slightly older sister Tabra--the true queen of Aryd--or to take her place if she were to perish first. Trying to stay hidden from the evil King Eidolon, Mere travels with a ragtag group of friends, including Reven the Shadowraith, who has stolen her heart though their love is forbidden.

When I started reading this book, I accidentally stayed up until 3 am and read to nearly the mid-way point. I also ended up staying up until 3 am to finish the book a few days later. It is very compulsively readable.

If you enjoyed the first book in the series, you'll have a good time with this one too. We pick up right where we left off with our faves on the run from Eidolon. There's a bit more adventure in this installment, as our characters go globe-hopping a bit.

Some of the author's greatest strengths in this series so far are her descriptions and her world building. I found the pacing of this book a bit better than the pacing of the first book. There are a few more steamy scenes here, and another sex scene that does not fade to black.

I am very excited for the final book in the trilogy, which is planned for publication next year.

Tropes in this book include: secret twin, enemies to lovers, forbidden romance, forced proximity, dark fantasy, queer side character (sapphic)

CW: abduction, violence, death, murder, mind control

To say I am in love with this series so far is an understatement!

Last time we saw Meren she had been caught by
Eidolon and now we're back with Meren, Reven and the gang and what followed was explosive!

Here we have new friends, old foes, quests and heartfelt, emotional moments in this high stakes, fast paced, intense plot! I loved every minute!

Also I have a statement to make....MEREN AND REVEN MAKE MY LIFE!!!

'Forever. In this life and every life hereafter.'

This was a solid second book. That ending though. Next book please!

This book is all sorts of amazing! I could not put it down! You get to learn so much more about Nova, see some of the different dominions, and meet new characters. I loved all the sass, the fights, the romance, and fantasy. Omg the betrayals! This book has it all!!!

Abigail Owen writes such beautiful characters. You can see their personalities as they come to life. I loved everything we found out about the other dominions and the significance of Meren's pendant. I loved that we got a second pov out of Reven, but I do wish there was just a little more.

I can't wait for the conclusion, the cover is every bit as beautiful!!!

"Fear is like sand.⠀
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It's impossible to get rid of once it touches you. The tiny grains in small amounts might only chafe, but if it's left to build, to collect more and more, those grains turn into massive dunes that are exhausting to scale, or worse, become quicksand that will swallow a person whole."⠀
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Abigail Owen, The Stolen Throne⠀
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The Stolen Throne by Abigail Owen is the sequel to The Liar's Crown and keeps up the pace of the first book by throwing us into Meren's Queen's Day celebration. Eidolon is evil and brooding and starts up his trying to take over the world nonsense right away. Reven is able to rescue Meren but they're being pursued on all angles by Eidolon's darkness. This fantasy romance is action-packed and fun to read but a little two-dimensional for me. I liked the sequel better than the first book cover and I feel like some of the characters got a bit more backstory and development in this book. I really love Cain and the way the book ends was exhilarating and terrible. all the same time. The author sure knows how to keep you on your toes.

"𝙸'𝚖 𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚗. 𝙰 𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚕 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚙𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚛, 𝚖𝚢 𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚍𝚘𝚖 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚊 𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛, 𝚊 𝚕𝚘𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚙𝚎𝚘𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚌𝚝, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊 𝚜𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚞𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚚𝚞𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚒𝚜𝚗'𝚝."

In the second book of the Dominions series, the stakes are higher, the danger has increased and it's more important than ever to know who your enemies and your allies are. This YA fantasy has everything the reader needs in a sequel - action, adventure, danger and romance. Meren is now married to Eidolon and must pretend to be under the king's charm, all the while rebellion bubbles in her veins.
Reven and Cain are determined to rescue Meren, but with the threat of being caught and Reven dealing with the shadows that are growing more frantic by the second, their rescue mission takes an unexpected turn. I will keep it spoiler free, but buckle your seatbelt and get ready for a wild ride.

Sometimes a sequel doesn't always live up to expectations, but this is not the case with The Stolen Throne. There are plot twists and reveals, pieces falling into place and characters that embrace their new situations and use them to their advantage. The entire story builds towards an epic ending that will have you wanting the third book immediately. I can't wait for the third book since this ending had my mind running in different directions. Once again, the world-building was done well and the hint of a love triangle surfaced. I loved Reven since the first book and in the second book, I loved him even more. The majority of the story is told from Meren's POV and we get to see more internal battles as well as difficult choices she needs to make. The mood of the story is tense, emotional and adventurous, at times I couldn't read fast enough to find out what happens next.

This series is perfect for fans of fantasy and readers who like a fearless FMC and a morally grey character with shadows ;)

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for gifting me an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

“You know for a pampered princess, you have a certain gift for violence.” ~Abigail Owen, The Stolen Throne

What’s better than a YA fantasy series that involves magic, fated soul mates and a secret royal twin? Nothing that’s what. I blame the movie Parent Trap for my love of twins which makes The Dominions series super fun so far! If you haven’t picked up the first book please be aware there may be SPOILERS in my review below!

The Stolen Throne does not miss a beat from the first book and opens up with a bang. I do enjoy the magic system and the world that the author created. Having the story weave through the different territories as the plot plays out is a good move by the author. As for the characters…I kind of wanted to strangle Meren and Reven. I know that with being the main characters they will struggle through things, but my gosh they were thick headed at times lol. Meren is this incredibly strong and selfless soul but when it comes to the MMC she becomes a little teeny bopper in lurve ((yes I know YA…)) BUT still some of her reasoning has me rolling my eyes at times. Also the…SPOILER…fated mates thing wasn’t a surprise. Saw that from a mile away lol. Also there is a 24hr zombie rage sickness in this book and it’s wild y’all.

I feel like I should warn you that the ending has a cliffhanger and it made me want to throw my kindle! BE WARNED. And in that same breath I’m going to yell at you to go pick up this series so you can wait on book 3 right along with me.

☑️ evil king
☑️ touch her you die
☑️ soul mates
☑️ twin sisters
☑️ wanna be love triangle
☑️found family
☑️elemental magic system

4 1/2 stars

The Stolen Throne is the second in The Dominion trilogy. I don't usually say this about a second book in a series, but I might have enjoyed this one more than the first....at least a little. I believe that since so much of the world building was done in book one (The Liar's Crown), there was more opportunity for character development in this book. To clarify, with fantasy novels, world building never ends but it does lessen in subsequent books.

This book continues the story of Meren and her goal to defeat Eidolon. At her side and trying to help her are Reven and Cain - - as well as others. Reven contains all of Eidolon's shadows and is struggling more to contain them and his darkness than in the prior book. In addition, he's determined that he's too dangerous to be close to Meren no matter how much he cares about her. Then there's Cain who is her childhood love and the man who will protect her no matter what even if he's not the man she will ultimately choose. This book revolved around trying to find a way to take Eidolon on in battle and survive him because he's so much stronger than the rest of them. Along the way, Meren discovers a great deal about herself and those around her. Some of it's good but some definitely isn't.

This book contains more plot twists, more monsters and some angst. It moved along at a fast clip and kept me glued to the pages. It was a strong fantasy story with romance blended in. Now I just need book three to see how this trilogy wraps up.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Wow. I loved this book. Fantastic second instalment.

(I am sorry, but my account isn't working very well at the moment. I will be giving a better review on Goodreads and TikTok in a bit.)

But wow, so good. :)

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

I'll start with the positive parts such as how amazing the world building continues to be and that is a major plus for me. I love the little details that just add a bit extra to the world.

Of course the cover is amazing and it is what caught my attention in the first place.

Now, the characters continue to develop and mature. I did enjoy the additions and I can safely say that I loked Pella more than I expected to. Now a certain betrayal left me so shocked that I needed a couole moments to think and then just reread that part just to be sure.

On to the negative ones.

Even though I do like the small and manageable chapters at some point it still felt a bit long.

But my main issue is with Meren. I found her amazing, confident, funny and witty at rhe first book. In this one she is almost nothing without Reven. As if her entire happiness and mood is only connected to him being with her. For me the worse was that she seemed to completely forget about her sister at a very critical time.

Overall I did enjoy the book and I can't wait to read them next and see how things come together.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing LLC, Abigail Owen and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC.

Oh. My. Goddess.
I’ve been waiting for this book since I read the first one last year - and I will absolutely wait for the third one with even more anxiety and trepidation! - and it did not disappoint. What’s more, it made me want to never finish it - was it because I knew there’d be another cliffhanger? Yes, but I also did not want to leave those characters.
Meren’s growth is even more noticeable in this second book, she really has turned into the queen she was meant to be. One thing I’ve loved so much is how Meren stayed true to herself as well as her country. In a way, she was altruistic, in others, she was selfish, not wanting to choose the right way out of a problem. I love her courage, and how she doesn’t back down in front of a challenge, or heartbreak. This book is truly a test of Meren’s strengths, it’s like the sand that shapes her and boy, is it rough.
Since the book is told from Meren’s perspective, there’s not much insight into Reven’s thoughts, which would be absolutely interesting, especially given the recent developments with the shadows. I love him. Will love him with all my heart. Always. He’s both straightforward and complex at the same time, and a bit of a stubborn idiot, but we do love a self-sacrificial type, don’t we? Reven fits the description oh so perfectly. And he’s also intense, yes, so, so much. It involves a temple. If you know, you know. If you don’t, you will!
I loved reconnecting with all the other characters, some more of others - I mean, some are bound to be annoying, especially if their name starts with the letter C… Aehm. Well, what is not annoying or boring at all, is the plot itself and the twists that unfold along the way. My jaw dropped so many times (the revelations, the shocks, the intriguing lore regarding a certain kingdom and its rituals), and almost as many times I wanted to throw my phone across the room for various reasons (the temple, y’all, the temple!!!).
I loved this book, and really, I would legit go reread it… But then I’d be even more hungry for the sequel. And desperate. Yeah. Hungry and desperate for more, that’s how this book left me. And I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Myth: 3.5/5

This book covers a lot of ground, which makes it action packed, but doesn’t always let you sink into the moments with the characters. From fleeing the castle to parading around the kingdom looking for a way to stop Eidolen, Meren is always on the move. This book starts to dive into some history of the world that will be key to stopping Eidolen, but the meatiest moments are still hidden from us.

Magic: 3/5

Reven was the most interesting magic evolution, his powers are less in his control as tensions escalate, but their tie to Meren can help or hurt….

Overall: 3.5/5

I like that Meren got to be front and center as herself, as queen (since her sister is still unable). I just didn’t love the way that this book moved through plot points. The first book was near flawless. And while this one was still good, it lacked the compelling storytelling of book one.

4.5 stars

Just like in the last book, Reven swept me off my feet. The angst and pining was powerful, even if it's self-imposed.

After the ending of the last book, Meren has been stuck pretending to be under Eidolon's spell as she waits for rescue. Once reunited with Reven and her sister, Meren needs to balance relations with the Wanderers and figure out how to defeat Eidolon while also trying to heal her sister. The book is pretty fast paced as Meren and company travel between countries, facing different threats in each dominion.

This book was much more companion-based than the first; the side characters were much more present as there is a rift between our two main characters. Meren's reliance on these characters was refreshing in a sea of main characters who Don't Need Anybody. To be honest, a refresher on each of these characters would've been helpful as there's a good sized group that I didn't fully remember from the first book.

Also, that ending leaves an interesting setup for book 3, which I'm 100% looking forward to reading!!

I loved the cover and the characters and the storyline. I don't want this series to end and I want to read them again. The book drew me in and I was like whoa.

I was lucky to be able to read this as an arc from Net Gally my thoughts and opinions are my own.

The sequel was so much more than I expected! I loved the character development of Meren & Reven and I cannot wait for the third book to see where their story goes from here. There wasn't a dull moment through out the book and I need to know what happens next and how everything is going to play out.

I do hope that the next one carries on in the same fashion as The Stolen Crown does and picks up where it was left off to continue to the action of the story.

Thank you NetGalley & Abigail Owen for giving me the chance to read this book because it was amazing!

4 stars

Ms. Owen is keeping this story intriguing and well paced. I can't wait to see the next book.

I voluntarily read an advanced copy.