A huge thank you to NetGalley, Maxym M. Martineau, and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the opportunity to read Kingdom of Exiles in exchange for an honest review.

This book starts off with an assassination attempt on the main female point of view character, Leena. She thwarts her assailant with her beasts and has him take her to their main guild to fight for the removal of the assassination mark on her.

Leena is a Beast Charmer; she can tame and summon creatures from the beast realm. Noc is an assassin and a leader. He doesn't really like Leena at first, but perhaps he can use her to his own gain. He promises to spare her life if she tames a beast for each of his close friends and himself. Leena agrees to these terms, and together the group sets out to find the right beast for each of them. Noc plans on going against his word, but when he starts to fall in love with Leena, the situation grows complicated.

There's another catch as well: the assassins are not born, they are raised. From the dead. By their leader. So special assassins with special powers and special lives after death. Or something like that.

There is yet another complication. Noc has had a curse placed on him that slowly kills any he loves or who fall in love with him. If he wants to be with Leena, he needs to remove the curse, and only a Gyss beast can do this for him. 

Leena needs to find out who placed the mark on her, and it's not her ex, Noc must find a way to gain Leena's trust as well as remove his curse, and he needs to keep the loyalty with his assassin guild. Leena has been exiled by the Charmer's on a set of lies. She needs to find a way to get an honest in with the high council, and for that, she needs to tame a Myad, something she needs willing blood for. As Noc and Leena play manipulative games with each other, their hearts begin to pull them together.

This book actually surprised me. It's fast-paced with constant beast-taming action and heart-pounding romance. The cover is gorgeous and fits the book perfectly. Though a bit long, I like how the book feels both concluded and not. There is definitely a number of open questions at the end that may be explored in one or two more books. The writing style is exquisite and fun to read as well. Overall, a really great book I would recommend to lovers of fantasy and romance, especially all in one book. I haven't read an adult fantasy romance in many years that moves my emotions in the way Kingdom of Exiles does!

Book Info
Paperback, 400 pages
Expected publication: June 25th 2019 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN 1492689386 (ISBN13: 9781492689386)
Series The Beast Charmer #1
Other Editions (1)
Source:Netgalley EARC
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BOOK BLURB

Fantastic Beasts meets Assassin's Creed in this epic, gripping fantasy romance from debut author Maxym M. Martineau.

Exiled beast charmer Leena Edenfrell is in deep trouble. Empty pockets forced her to sell her beloved magical beasts on the black market—an offense punishable by death—and now there's a price on her head. With the realm's most talented murderer-for-hire nipping at her heels, Leena makes him an offer he can't refuse: powerful mythical creatures in exchange for her life.

If only it were that simple. Unbeknownst to Leena, the undying ones are bound by magic to complete their contracts, and Noc cannot risk his brotherhood of assassins...not even to save the woman he can no longer live without.
My Thoughts

This was a journey taken with characters both compelling and interesting in so many ways it is hard to catalogue the totality of their appeal.

The story is told in alternating viewpoints from Leena and Noc. This means that the female to male perspectives given comprise of two strong individuals who each have a cross to bear.

The fact that the two have to work together is a bitter irony as Leena is the contract that Noc and his fellow Assassins have been given to hunt down and kill.

As the group gets further acquainted however their knowledge of each other begins to override the reasons why they were brought together in the first place.

When Charmer Leena Edenfrell works her Beast Magic the melding of reality and fantasy blended beautifully in the scenes, and what made this book even better was how seamlessly she and Nocs hardened group of Assassins became Family to each other through shared experiences.

The story was not only fantastical but it was filled with love from Leena to her Beasts, filled with intrigue, mystery, passion and a star-crossed romance that will break your heart while hoping against hope it ends in an HEA for the tortured couple.

I have fallen in love with this world, these characters and the magical mystical beasts that are a big part of what makes the story so much fun to read.

Hopefully follow-up works will come soon rather than later as it would be so lovely to learn more about all concerned, especially what happens next with the other Assassins who made up the core group of this book.
[EArc from Netgalley]

On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

Kingdom of Exiles is a romantic fantasy that features world building at its finest, with an engaging band of outlaws, a complex enemies-to-lovers/captive-to-ally romance, and the believable conflict that keeps them apart. Fans of Sarah J. Maas’s Court of Thorns and Roses may see hints of Rhysand in Noc, the undead leader of a band of assassins, and the tortured hero who both pines for—and repels—the independent Leena, a Charmer with a bestiary of inventive creatures at her beck and call. The first in a planned trilogy, Kingdom of Exiles resolves one satisfying plot thread while dangling enough to keep readers anxious for the second book.

Leena is a charmer, someone who can tame the unique and varied beasts of her realm, but she's been exiled after being accused of a horrible crime; she now spends her days in an unsavory pub, selling her beasts as her only means of income. During one of her deals, she senses someone watching her, and soon realizes that someone has put a bounty on her head and she isn't safe anywhere. In order to survive, she must find the assassin tasked with killing her, and somehow convince them to retract the hit so she can have a chance to have her exile lifted as well. However, things don't go smoothly when she discovers that her bounty has been registered with an army of un-dead assassins who don't take contract killings lightly. She must go on the road with several of them, and an unlikely romance starts to blossom.
Leena is a great character, and the writing is good, but too many inconsistencies, a lack of clear orientation for the locations in the story, and a tired and slow "I can't love you because I will end up killing you" story line made me put the book down halfway through.

Kingdom of Exiles is a solid, witty and exceptionally written fantasy debut. An excellent beginning to a trilogy.

In Kindom of Exiles, we follow Leena Edenfrell, a Charmer, which is a person who possesses the rare ability to summon magical beasts. Due to exile on falsely accused charges and poverty that surrounds the capital city, Leena has resorted to selling her magical beasts- a punishable offense in the Charmer community which leads to a bounty on her head and an assassin's guild after her.

What made this story shine was the character dynamics and worldbuilding. I loved Leena so much- quite possibly in the top 20 of my all-time favorite heroines. She was brave and so relatable on many levels- I liked that she didn't a guy in her life to kick butt. Noc though, I wasn't so crazy about him. While I appreciated the romance between Leena (which I could see instantly from the beginning of the book), I really liked the friendship in this book. Noc's guild of assassins have such hilarious banter and I love the dynamics between Leena and the gang,

Also, can I just say the worldbuilding was so unique and I don't mean this negatively, but at times the magical beast taming made me reminiscent of Pokemon Go. I could keep track of the beasts with no problem and I appreciated the development of the magical system and how it was incorporated into the plot.

I wasn't so crazy about the plot though. I found it kind of predictable and there was a bit too much of deus ex machina to keep the plot rolling but otherwise, I didn't have any problems with it. Basically, I was just here for the beasts and the banter and Leena.

I can't wait for the second book though... because that last line was kind of ominous there and I need more Calem in my life!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebook publishers for providing a free ARC

Leena Edenfrell has been wrongly exiled and has been forced to sell the magical beasts she catches to survive. However, fate isn’t quite done with Leena and now she must survive the bounty on her head.

Verdict: Kingdom of Exiles is an interesting beginning to a new world. Both Leena and Noc are characters with extreme flaws but have found a way to be both likable and realistic. I loved the concept of being able to charm beasts and hold them in a different realm until they’re needed – very pokemon-eske. One small note, I would have liked more beast charming and a little less dialogue; there were times where I started skimming so I could get back to the action. Overall this was a good fast-paced read, and I enjoyed myself.

*Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

I was intrigued by the premise of Kingdom of Exiles and was so excited to read it but I struggled with it. I found the concept interesting and liked certain aspects about the characters and their journey but there were some things that became tiresome after a while like the issue the hero had that he kept harping about. I liked the action and adventure element but not sure if I'll read the rest of the series despite how intrigued I am by the cliffhanger.

Kingdom of Exiles by Maxym Martineau is the first book in her new fantasy The Beast Charmer series. This is my first time reading this author, and after finishing this book, it will not be my last. I loved Kingdom of Exiles.
Leena Edenfrell, our heroine, is a beast charmer, who is living in exile for a crime she did not do. A beast charmer has the ability to tame wild beasts and bond with them. Leena is very strict, making sure those who want one of her many beasts, must treat them with care and love. One night on her way home, Leena is accosted by someone who is trying to kill her. Leena manages to stop the person with help from one of her beasts, and learns that there is a bounty on her head.

Noc, our hero, and the leader of Cruor team of assassins comes to the rescue of one of his men, and because of Leena’s strength, he is willing to make a bargain with her; but he is compelled to kill her no matter what, when their bargain is complete. Noc is also cursed, and is desperate to find a way to remove the curse; finding a beast that can do that; hence the agreement with Leena to find beasts for his 3 top men and himself.
At the start, Noc was very distant and cold, but over a period of time, especially watching how Leena is so loving with her beasts, he slowly begins to have feelings for her, which he knows he cannot allow to happen. I loved Noc’s men, especially Oz and Calem, and Kost loosened up in time.

What follows is an exciting, intense action-packed adventure to find those wonderful magical beasts, and to find the truth of who put the bounty on Leena’s head. When Leena’s life hangs by a thread, Noc will do anything to save the woman he has fallen in love with, despite the repercussions. It was a slow built romance between Noc and Leena, but I really liked them together. I loved how Leena became trusted friends with the other members of Cruor; she was a fabulous heroine. She was amazing, especially nearer to the end when she had to suffer torture. To say too much more would be spoilers.

Kingdom of Exiles was a great start and wonderful world-building to this different kind of fantasy series. The beasts were the best part, as it was fun to learn about the different kind of beasts and what they can do. The battles to fight and save Leena were done so well, and as we raced to the climax, we were on the edge of our seat to see if she will survive. The villain in this story was evil, and I did like the ending, which will lead to the next book. Maxym Martineau has written a wonderful story, and I look forward to what she has next for us.

My Full Review will go live on my WordPress blog, Flora's Musings... on 5th June 2019

So, what did I like about it?
As a début author, I was very impressed with Ms Martineau’s writing style; it felt graceful, rich but was very easy to read. I thought that the story itself was intelligent and felt well planned out. I enjoyed her prose; the way she weaved realistic human and animal behaviours into her new fantasy world; it was inspiring. Kingdom of Exiles is an unexpected treasure.

Ms Martineau writes her story from a “first person point of view” but allows both her main characters - Leena and Noc - to lead the reader with their own chapters/sections, giving us a chance to read their inner dialogue; I really like this because it helped me to gain a further depth of understanding, empathy and connection to both Leena and Noc.

Those of you who have read my reviews before, will know that I enjoy a story more when the lead female character is intelligent, resilient, self-reliant and has a good sense of humour. Leena Edenfrell is everything that I look for in a lead female character; tough, witty, able to hold her own but with a good moral compass and a kind and loyal heart. In fact, I loved the fact that all of the characters in this book have been written with multifaceted personalities, having their own set of foibles and emotional baggage, there are no stereotypical good or evil characters here which makes them all feel real and I look forward to becoming better acquainted with the rest of the supporting cast in the subsequent books.

There are a few aspects to the plot line in Kingdom of Exiles; conspiracies, betrayals, romance, mystery and adventure and I enjoyed every one of the twists and turns that Ms Martineau took us on. I loved the fact that I experienced a myriad of emotions while reading Kingdom of Exiles; the banter and humour made me chuckle, I shed a tear or two during the more emotional revelations, the fighting and action scenes fed my adrenalin fix, the tension and horror had me on the edge of my seat, the romance warmed my heart and the passion titillated my tummy and put fire in my blood. In other words, I was gripped and couldn’t stop reading.

So, ummm, was there anything I disliked about it?
There was nothing about this book that didn’t work or niggled me, hence the 5 star ratings.

As Kingdom of Exiles is the first book in new series there are background story arcs that are left unresolved, however, for those of you like me who HATE huge life or death cliff-hangers, rest assured, Ms Martineau doesn’t leave us hanging with an immediately perilous situation like that.

So, basically what I’m saying is...
I didn't want to stop reading this amazing fantasy story. It had everything that I look for in a great story; intelligent writing style that’s easy to read, main characters with depth of personality that I can really get my teeth into, depth of character in the supporting cast, gripping background story, believable settings and a balanced mix of aspects; adventure, relationship, tension, action and mystery.

Due to some of the more adult themes and violent scenes, I would only recommend this book to adults who are not offended by this sort of content who enjoy independent capable heroines, tense often traumatic and brutal confrontations within epic fantasy adventures. Kingdom of Exiles is an amazing dèbut and I can’t wait to read whatever comes next!

Kingdom of Exiles was a well written fantasy genre book. It is the first one in the series, and the author does a great job of introducing the characters and locations. I really liked the main character, Leena, she is immediately someone you want to know more about. You are given just enough information about her to want to know more about her life and how she ended up (or started) at the tavern where we first meet her, I like that the this novel was different from other fantasy novels, it weaves in the history of the characters with new kinds of magic - beast summoning and shadow assassins just to name two. I am looking forward to the next books in the series, and will want to re-read this book before starting the next just to enjoy Leena's world again.

For about a week I was wondering around bookmedia and I would see something for an up and coming book that was going to be released soon, Kingdom of Exiles was kinda everywhere I looked. So of course being the big booknerd that I am, I had to read the book synopsis. So here is the thing, I am not an animal/pet person, animals scare the crap out of me and therefore I have never been interested in stories that have an animal theme with the only exception being supernatural creatures. However, when I read the description for Kingdom of Exiles I knew I wanted to read it. I mean it's describe on Goodreads as "Fantastic Beasts meets Assassin's Creed in this epic, gripping fantasy romance from debut author Maxym M. Martineau.", how could I not fall for something like that. I was lucky enough to be blessed by NetGalley with an ARC and it was amazing.

This fantasy story is told from two point-of-views (povs) the first is Leena, who is a fierce, strong and kind, is a beast charmer. As you can guess she can tame these wild, crazy powerful magical creatures and she keeps them in her bestiary which she uses to call them from a magical realm. The other pov is from Noc who is the leader of the Curor which is an assassins' guild. Noc is handsome, strong, cunning and controls shadows. They both are wicked smart, stubborn and determined. So imagine when their worlds cross when someone puts a hit out on Leena and she shows up at the guild and a wild and crazy adventure ensues. How can you not love it just from the description.

Kingdom of Exiles is a fantasy so the book has a pretty good length to it and the pacing was spot on. I never got bored because of the interactions between Leena and Noc, it's a will they, won't they, hate to love, both parties are hiding secrets, and we are in pretty deep shit kinda story. So in other words it was really good and I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. The animals really took me by surprise, I loved the parts when I got to learn about new magical creatures and what powers they had and how someone could tame them.

This book caused me so much stress. I was in it deep, I was invested in the animals in the characters and that storyline was amazing. There was action, banter, steamy romance, betrayals, evil plots, mysteries, secrets, magic, and so much more, I loved every minute of the story. Maxym has done a fantastic job writing her first book and better yet Kingdom of Exiles is the first book in the Beast Charmer series. I am so looking forward to continuing the story and see where Maxym takes us next. If you are looking for your next adult fantasy then I highly suggest you give this one a try.

3.5 stars/5

This debut paranormal romance is a classic quest story with the hero and heroine on a journey to tame magical beasts and they just happen to find love on the way. The heroine, Leena, wants to tame an extremely rare and powerful beast to get her exile from the Charmer (beast-tamer) community lifted. Shortly before leaving for the hunt, she discovers that someone in the Charmer community has placed an assassination order on her. To save her life, she convinces the leader of the undead assassins, Noc, to spare her in return for her help acquiring beasts for him and his lieutenants. Despite the uneasy truce, Leena and Noc slowly find themselves falling for each other.

This is a pretty standard paranormal romance. Some of the classic tropes are a little heavy-handed (she’s light, he’s dark, and their magic is literally reflective of that). That said, it is well-written and the world-building is fairly solid. There are a few twists to the romance’s obstacles: a personal curse on Noc; the geas binding the assassins to complete their missions; and the mystery of how Leena got kicked out from the Charmer community. It is fairly long for a debut, and there were a few times when I had to go check the author’s website to make sure there wasn’t a prequel short story or novella somewhere because it seemed to refer to a previous story. However, overall it was a fast-paced, diverting read, and I would pick up the next book in the series. I have also recommended it for purchase at my branch. Thanks to netgalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC!

Loved it! The story was great! I had such fun with this! The characters are awesome! I absolutely loved it

Fantasy romance seems hard to find at times, so I was really looking forward to this one. We have a beast charmer who is exiled and who makes a deal with someone who is seeking to kill her for the bounty on her head.. The fantasy and adventure parts are engaging, but I felt the romance was a bit weak. I wonder if that is something that will develop in further books or if we'll be seeing other couples. I will definitely continue to give this author's future works a try.

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Leena is a former Beast Charmer who is on the run from the realm’s most talented murderer-for-hire. She makes him a deal he can't refuse: powerful mythical creatures in exchange for her life. Noc agrees to Leena's terms in hopes of finding a cure for a curse that kills everyone he loves.

The premise of the book reeled me in but the plot and the characters kept me wanting more. The world building in this book is spectacular and the dark magic and the magical beasts made the book really enticing. I also loved the romance between Leena and Noc. I love that the book had both fantasy and romance!

I just loved the book. The characters had a lot of depth. They were brave and vulnerable and really well developed. The power play in the world gave the book a new level of depth. The world building and the characters really made the book come to life. It's amazingly planned and written, not to mention that it's incredibly passionate and heartfelt.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I Kingdom of Eiles you have a Beast Charmer who has been exiled by her clan and comes to depend on and friend the Assassin sent to kill her. It paints a great fantasy with lots of suspense and love/lust and drama to keep you reading. It does end with a cliffhanger, which drives me crazy! But I can’t cant wait for the next book. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review after reading this arc.

It's been a while since I've read something in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre, and this book brings me back to everything that I miss about it. It has the added bonus of have a romantic twist to the plot. It's well written, and in the first person pov, which is my preference. The world building and character development is great. There were times when I laughed out loud, and other times that just made me want to cry. The expanded group of characters were well fleshed out, and you could definitely get a sense of who they are and their personalities. It didn't take much to get hooked into the page turner. I kept on thinking throughout the book, "this would make an awesome movie!" But then again, like real life - a movie probably wouldn't be as near as great as the book.

I have received this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Kingdom of Exiles was actually pretty good. I definitely flew through this once I found time to just sit and read. Leena is an exiled beast charmer who does what she has to do in order to live. It sucks that she can't go home and basically would trust a rock over a person but hey - she's adapting. I honestly really enjoyed her character. She was refreshing and quite lovable.

So we know that she's kind of the run due to being shunned from her homeland and it wasn't hard to believe that someone out there wanted her dead. It wasn't hard to think about who it was but it was fun for the book to try. I am, however, intrigued to find out which woman was behind all of this since we didn't see what we were looking for - maybe it's someone who comes at the end of the book?

Anyhoo, love is kind of in the air and the romance was cute. HOWEVER, I hate cliffhangers and this book did me dirty. I was so happy and I shouldn't have been because the rug was swept underneath me. Dirty book and a dirty cliffhanger that makes me want to scream. I definitely need the next one and I need for a certain someone to outsmart a certain villain ASAP.

Kingdom of Exiles has been getting A LOT of buzz. I was pretty hyped up to read this one. The fantasy romance genre doesn't get a whole heck of a lot of new titles published. Considering that this title was coming from the same publisher as Amanda Bouchet's fantasy romance trilogy, Kingmaker Chronicles I was feeling pretty confident that I would enjoy this one. Disappointingly, this one was a bit of an uneven reading experience for me.

The fantasy aspects in Kingdom of Exiles was great. I really enjoyed the world that Martineau created. The concept of beast charmers, their magic, and the secret world that the beasts inhabit was intriguing. The power politics that were also in affect in the background were also interesting and gave the story a depth that I wasn't expecting. However, it was in the romance aspect that I felt a lack of interest. Leena and Noc's romance was, quite frankly, kind of boring. I still don't know why they are "in love". I get the whole "in lust", but where and why they have developed these seemingly deeper feelings is kind of a mystery for me. As a romance reader, the whole insta-relationship just doesn't work for.

So, while I'm excited to actually see some fantasy romance get published, this one missed the mark for me.

The Kingdom of Exiles (the first in her Beast Charmer series) by Maxym Martineau is a fantastical debut that features magical creatures, deadly secrets, betrayal, redemption, and an epic antagonistic romance. The heroine is a bold mixture of rash bravado and heartfelt vulnerability. Cast out by her clan, she is forced to bargain for her life with the very man who has been hired to kill her. A man whose own dark past could very well spell the end for them both. An adventurous storyline and a vibrant cast of characters pushes the reader down the rabbit hole and leaves you breathless with anticipation as you wait for the next installment.