I love long romance focused fantasy novels. But, this unfortunately did not keep my attention. My mind kept wondering while reading on how did Leena and Noc fall is love? This book is almost 500 pages long, I feel like there’s more to the story yet their love felt too insta for me. I love slow building romances. I also, wish I had gotten to know the beasts more.

It’s hard to resist that sell: “Fantastic Beasts meets Assassin’s Creed…” *points to self* HUGE Harry Potter (world) fan. HUGE Assassin’s Creed fan. I should really know better than to listen to those types of comparisons. Yes, on the surface, I get it. She’s a beast charmer. He’s an assassin. Makes sense. But it doesn’t really feel like either one of these. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing – but expectations matter. I was talking to a friend this morning and it’s clear that Sourcebooks marketing team is on-point. They know how to pull me in and make me one-click a book. But – expectations matter.

I expected an amazing world, filled with incredible beasts, and an action-packed plot. Kingdom of Exiles delivered on most of it.

There is a world that seems absolutely amazing – one I’d like to visit actually. One that I’d like to get to know a lot better. The story takes place in the kingdom of Wilhelm, though we really only hear about it in passing. It’s clear that there’s a large world to explore and get to know. There are so many areas I want to visit. I’m not sure I fully see the land yet, but I’m hoping for a map in the final book. Yes, I’m a map geek. Sue me. It’s hard for me to picture the geography of the world. They travel for 3 or 4 days, but I’m unsure which way they travel, or how that relates to anything else.

While we’re traveling around with Leena and Noc, we get these tantalizing hints of things that have happened in the history of the world. These peeks into where the story is heading. I need more of that. I’d also love to know more about the politics and overarching history of the world. Just in-passing mentions of The First War, and some to-come doom left me dying for more information. It’s obvious that there’s a bigger picture plot that’s happening in that larger world. The set-up is there. I wish we’d gotten more of it.

Something else I wish we’d gotten more of: the beasts. I want more time with them, exploring them, their unique personalities and gifts. I feel like we heard about a dozen of them, saw maybe a half-dozen in their full glory, but I’m not confident I really understand the beasts, the relationship the Charmers have with them, or the history behind it all.

Unfortunately, the pacing is where things really fell apart for me. This book is long – 448 pages – much longer than most romances (fantasy or not) that are out there. And sometimes it feels every bit that length. I cut my teeth on epic fantasy, I’m used to long, detailed stories. But I caught myself skimming and my mind wandering more than once while reading.

It’s a bit frustrating, because by the end of the book Leena and Noc’s story isn’t over. There’s more to do there. I’d have appreciated if more time had been spent on world-building, tightening up the pacing, and less time on the romance. The romance could have solidified in book 2 and 3, which I assume will also follow Leena and Noc. I’d also love it if more people realized that there is nothing wrong with a slow build romance. In fact, I appreciate it more than an insta-love.

Characters are another area that I’m struggling with. I think the romance could have been less of a focus, and more time spent on really developing Leena and Noc. I’m honestly struggling to tell you much about them other than Leena’s a beast charmer that was betrayed, and Noc is an assassin that is cursed. This is probably why I’m having a hard time figuring out why they fell in love. Leena and Noc knew each other for a few days, didn’t trust each other for at least half of that, were adversaries and one was trying to kill the other for nearly the entirety of it….them falling in everlasting love by the end? Not realistic to me.

I get why they like each other; Sure. Something to build on; yep. But risk everything, be my mate, forever-and-ever, love? Not yet. And SO MUCH TIME was spent on the romance, the angst, the sex…*sigh*

There was also the cliche brotherhood of assassins, though thankfully it seemed more robust and inclusive – there were females AND those that weren’t really assassins in the group. I ended up really liking the dynamic and possibilities with the Cruor, but when I initially read about them I thought about every other paranormal romance I’ve read in the last 10 years. I wondered how long until we’d get stories about the other members of the Cruor. Maxym M. Martineau did a good job of pulling me past that and I stopped thinking of the cliche around half-way through the book.

Oh! Speaking of inclusivity – gay characters abound. Kingdom of Exiles shows that being in love with any gender is completely and totally normal. Noc had loved, and lost, a man before. It was completely casually mentioned, just like it would have been if he’d loved and lost a woman. There’s no stigma, no concern, no care. It’s just beautifully, wonderfully normal. God, I can’t tell you how much I appreciated the hell out of that.

Sidebar: I’m bi-sexual. I don’t talk about it a lot because my sexuality is my business – mine and my wife’s. My friends and family know, but it doesn’t define me. However, I’ve become increasingly frustrated with LGBTQ+ books in the past several years, to the point where I’ve mostly stopped reading them. I keep adding them to my to-be-read (TBR) because I’m sure there’s gotta be better representation of people like me sometime, but I rarely actually start them because I’ve been let down so much.

Bi- people are typically depicted as one of three things: (i) evil, and/or the antagonist that’s trying to steal the heart of the protagonist from the love interest; (ii) really just gay/straight and when they enter into a monogamous relationship they find out which; and/or (iii) MUST have both male and female love to be satisfied, cannot be monogamous. Rarely are we ever understood to just love and appreciate both males and females. I don’t need both a man and a woman to be satisfied. I just don’t care if it’s a man or a woman that I’m with. I’m not a lesbian because I’m married to a woman. I’m still bi. I still find men attractive. And I sure as hell am not here to ruin relationships. I’m not even beginning to touch on the depth of my appreciation for how Ms. Martineau handled love and sexuality in this novel. Especially if she follows through, like I think she will, with more gay relationships.

There’s so much here to appreciate and look forward to. I think a lot of my detractions are actually first book syndrome more than anything else. Some balance between the romance and everything else would have easily made this a 5 star read for me..

There’s so damn much potential here. I can see it, on the horizon. I want more in the world, I want more of the characters, I want tons more beasts. I’m happily adding book 2 to my to-read list. Because the set-up for the overarching plot, and the potential in the world? I’m intrigued as hell and am excited to see it all come to fruition.

Martineau did a great job creating a new world for us to explore. This fantasy book introduced us to some new creatures and a strong female lead. The characters kept my attention and the plot was unique and well paced. I look forward to the next books in this series.

It takes a talented writer to build a world with confidence and I enjoyed learning about the world Leena resides. She a strong and interesting woman making Kingdome of Exiles a heady read which I couldn't set aside. Magic and romance round out this exceptional novel that I highly recommend.

Kingdom of Exiles is the first in a new fantasy trilogy that offers a little bit of everything to fantasy fans. Magical beasts, undead assassins, an unfair bounty on the head on the heroine. If it weren’t for the graphic sex scenes I would say this would make a great teen crossover. I’ll be looking for further tales in this series.

Kingdom of Exiles is an epic and engaging fantasy love story that hooks readers from the beginning with its expert world-building. Martineau proves herself to be especially skilled at crafting realistic, sympathetic characters in this debut, and I'm looking forward to continuing on their journey in the next book in the series.

Leena is a beast Charmer, exiled for crimes she didn't commit. She eeks out a living selling beasts, with the cavaet that if the beasts are mistreated she would kill the owner. Noc is the leader of the Cruor, assassins that have been brought back from the dead. He's origins are never 100% confirmed but it is pretty clear who he had been as the story unfolds. He's had to keep himself and his emotions remote, to not trigger his curse. Those he cares too much for and reciprocate his feelings die a painful death.

Leena enters Noc's world after one of his people attempted to assassinate her fails and she hold's him hostage to negotiate the bounty off her head. Their negotiations lead to a really captivating story of five assassins and a Charmer and her beasts as they travel to fulfill the agreement Noc and Leena made. The beasts come in all shapes and sizes, whimsical to terrifying and each had their own story.

I loved how Leena chose the perfect beast for each assassin as she got to know them on their trip and watching Noc trying to keep her away to keep her safe, so at odds with the badass assassin. While I received a free copy, through #NetGalley in exchange for a review, I would recommend this to anyone enchanted with magical beasts, and endearing bad ass assassins. I did not want to put this down once I started it, this is a great start to a series.

More of my reviews can be found at https://wyldheartreads.wordpress.com/

Take Pokémon, Assassin’s Creed, and Fantastic Beasts. Throw into a blender. Hit purée. Results, this solid fantasy romance. Interesting characters, fascinating world, and while the ending is happy, it leaves it wide open for the second in the series. . . . which I now have to wait over a year for. I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy so that I can have the bestiary. I want to know more about the bests that inhabit this world.

Summary:

Leena has a problem: banished from her homeland for a crime she didn't commit, she must support herself by selling her beloved beasts that she captures in a bestiary she wears around her neck. She is one of the race of "Charmers" who has the ability to tame and capture fantastical beasts in this unique world.

Noc has a problem: As the leader of a guild of Assassins, he is bound to fulfill a contract to assassinate Leena that his organization accepted from a shadowy figure. But that was before he met Leena. And a curse placed on him causes anyone he loves to die a horrible death.

"No matter how hard you try, no matter how many battles you win, you will never survive me," Noc tells her.

"...this had bad decision written all over it. He was an assassin. I was his bounty. There were so many things that could possibly go wrong..." And, of course, they do. And this is the captivating story that is told in KINGDOM OF EXILES.

I had been looking forward to reading this book since I saw the amazing cover on a Twitter post, and I mentioned it in last month's #ewgc (Early Word Galley Chat). I was fortunate to get approval to read the e-galley, then picked up a print copy at the TLA Conference in April, as I prefer to read in print.

I was completely impressed that this fantasy novel is a debut, as the world-building, magic system, characterization, dialogue, and narrative pace were of the quality of a much more seasoned author. Though a bit more "erotic" than expected, and for some reason, there seemed to be a need to make the main male character bi-sexual, which didn't really fit the story, I do feel this one is a winner and will do well with fantasy fans. *** I know a number of female AND male customers who will really enjoy this debut; and I look forward to getting it into all of their hands. Thank for the opportunity of an early read, and I will look forward to the sequel, BESTIARY, whenever it arrives!

*** There is an extended scene of torture near the end of the book that may not be to everyone's taste, so that knocked off one star. A 5 star read for me is one that I can recommend with NO reservation. That being said. I am truly impressed with this debut.

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I enjoyed reading this. An interesting story with fun characters. Well written.

Where does one start. I loved every second I spent reading this novel. This book was everything , romance, fantasy, danger,mystery,murder all wrapped up together. A tale spun around betrayal, love, a curse from years past and magic.

I loved the magic in this book, it wasn’t forced and I loved to read about each of the beasts that the charmers had or wanted. The realm of beast intrigues me and I for one can not wait to read the next book in this series. Especially how the book ended with NOC.

The plot kept me guessing. I love that it wasn’t predictable... I can say hands down, my favorite book thus far for this year. I love everything from the plot to the characters, Calem being my absolute favorite!!

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley but all opinions provided are my own.

​She’s a charmer of beasts who has a bounty on her head. He’s the assassin in charge of killing her.

That sounds like the perfect premise of a fantasy romance to me.

Smart and wildly inventive, Maxym M. Martineau's Kingdom of Exiles had me captivated from the first page. It’s the kind of book I can really sink my teeth into: a morally complex, live-life-on-the-edge-of-danger heroine and hero (who are determined to kill and/or use the other for much of the book!)*, a diverse round of secondary characters, and a true dilemma facing them all that I have faith they’ll overcome, even if I don’t see how.

Even better are the closing pages, where Martineau ties up things just enough to leave me satisfied, but also leaves enough undone to hint at the craziness to come. Because when the final paragraph is over, there are still secrets between the characters—secrets each narrator has hinted at to the reader—and secrets which are guaranteed to wreak absolute havoc in a future book.

Kingdom of Exiles is enemies to lovers done splendidly. Martineau took me on a gripping adventure that left me wanting more: more of her originality, drama, romance. She has a lot to bring to the genre—she already has this very impressive addition—and the exciting news is that I think she’s just getting started.

*Seriously, I had big reservations about some of the things the hero and heroine were doing but they show major growth throughout the book.

TNW Arbitrary Rating: 4.25 stars. (See how useless my rating scale is?)

Q: What fantasy romance read do you recommend to everyone? One of mine is Naomi Novik's Uprooted.

This is a hard rating for me. It’s a 2.5 -2.75

It is an interesting world and magic system. It’s got some good steamy scenes in it and I really enjoyed the group dynamic and the side characters but I was sooo bored. Idk why. I have no idea but I felt so detached to this story and like I just didn’t care.? I really liked the idea of the beasts and they were awesome to see and learn about but I just couldn’t stay into this story. I put it down and read a whole other 500 page book and then picked it back up and finished it and still just felt soo detached... I wish I loved it. Hopefully I’ll try it again sometime soon and like it more?

Leena was exiled from her Charmer home. Leena needed to make ends meet and to do so; she started selling off her animals on the black market. That is an offense punishable by death. So she wasn’t surprised when an assassin showed up. After beating the assassin, Leena forces him to take her to the guildhouse. It is there, Leena makes a deal with the guild master of the Cruor, Noc. 4 magical beasts in exchange for her life. What Leena doesn’t know is that there is no way for a Cruor assassin to back out of a contract. While Noc says yes, he knows that in the end, he will have to kill Leena and collect the bounty. But, it soon becomes hard for Noc to consider killing Leena. Enough doubt has been raised about the contract and if it is justified. Will Noc be able to do the unthinkable and break the contract? Or will everything end with Leena being killed?

What drew me to Kingdom of Exiles was the blurb. As soon as I caught sight of the words Fantastic Beasts and Assassin’s Creed. I knew that I needed to read this book. I am a huge Harry Potter and Assassin’s Creed fan, and I was interested in seeing how the author was going to combine those them together. I wasn’t let down. I do want to add in that I also caught glimpses of Pokemon in this novel too. Not in how the beasts were caught but in the battle scenes.

There are three major and several secondary plotlines in Kingdom of Exiles. The first plotline focuses on Leena, her beasts and the reason why she was exiled from the Charmers. The second plot line focuses on Noc, the Cruors, and Leena’s contract. The third plotline focuses on Leena, Noc, and their relationship.

I liked all the main storylines. They were all well written. When the author did chose to bring them together, she was able to do it without interrupting any of the storylines. There were also no dropped storylines.

The secondary storylines were well written. I did think that there was a dropped storyline towards the end of the book. It made me a little aggravated because I wanted to know what happened to a particular character. But, it was brought back up at the end of the book. Which makes me wonder if that is going to be the main storyline for the next book.

Like the plotlines, I thought that the main characters were well written. Now, I will say that both characters a little off put me at the beginning of the book. They both came off as cold people. But as the book went on and I got to know both characters, my opinion of them changed. Their character development featured in my change of opinion.

Like I mentioned above, I didn’t like Leena when I started reading Kingdom of Exiles. She came across as aloof and uncaring. The scene with the buyer of the Gyss is an excellent example. But, then something remarkable happened. That first impression got turned around. My disinterest and disdain for her got turned around into me being invested and admiring her. I can count on one hand how many times that has happened.

Leena was also one of the strongest female characters that I have read to date. She went through a lot in the book, and she didn’t let it beat her down. She learned from those experiences. I loved it!!

Again, as I mentioned above, I didn’t like Noc when I started reading the book. He was cold and aloof. Take any of his scenes at the beginning of the book. Then, as the book went on, the explanations began. By the middle of the book, I understood why Noc had those walls up. He was afraid of his curse. He couldn’t show emotion or his curse would start up. But, like Leena, my first impression got turned around. By the end of the book, I loved him.

Speaking of Noc’s curse, I would have loved to know why the high priestess cursed him. Also, I would have loved to have known who he was before he was resurrected. There were hints but nothing confirmed. Drove me nuts because I have a few ideas of who he was, but nothing confirmed it.

The secondary characters were as well written as the main characters. I loved it. I felt that I got to know Kost, Ozias, and Calem as well as Noc and Leena. I can’t wait to see what book two holds for the secondary characters. I am hoping that the book focuses on either Calem or Oz. They were my two favorites in the book.

The bad guys in the book had my attention from the get-go. Wynn gave me chills. He believed what he was doing was the right, and that was frightening to me. What he subjected Leena to when he held her captive was heartbreaking. Ravenwas an enigma. I had questions that weren’t answered in this book. The most important issue was why? Why did she set those events in motion? I was frustrated by the lack of answers, but I have a feeling that they will be answered in the next book.

Kingdom of Exiles was a great fit in the fantasy genre. Leena’s Charmer abilities alone could have fueled a book. As well as Noc’s curse and his powers. I did find it creepy that he could make daggers out of the shadows.

Kingdom of Exiles was also a great fit in the romance genre. Noc and Leena’s instant attraction had my pulse racing. The back and forth dance that they did was hot. By the time they had sex, it was earth-shattering. I had to put my Kindle down and fan myself; it was that hot. My only complaint about the sex scenes was the use of crease of Leena’s vagina. Once, yes. But every single time, no. It got to the point where I started laughing when Noc was fingerbanging/eating her out, and crease was used.

There was also the point of the Kost/Noc/Leena semi-love triangle. I use semi because Noc didn’t reciprocate Kost’s feelings. But it was set up that way. I loved that the author had an LGBT representation in the book. I do wish that Kost’s sexual preference was made more clear towards the beginning. Because up until that scene with Leena, he came across as kind of a douche canoe. I also loved how Noc handled finding out about Kost’s feelings for him. It was done in such a classy way that I couldn’t help but say to myself “This is how it should be done in real life!!!” I am also eager to see Kost find love. There was a hint of something at the end of the book. Something that I can’t wait to see if the author explores or not.

The end of Kingdom of Exiles was excellent. I also had so many questions about what was going to happen and no answers. The epilogue held the most questions for me. Because of what happened to Noc at the end. What will that mean for him and Leena? I can’t wait to find out.

I would give Kingdom of Exiles an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is violence. There is language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Kingdom of Exiles. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Kingdom of Exiles.

Book Disclaimer

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read Kingdom of Exiles?

What are your thoughts?

Let me know!!

Martineau has joined the ranks of authors to watch. Kingdom of Exiles is a well-written debut and a powerful start to a new series. No doubt, this book will attract a lot of attention from fellow bookworms. I enjoyed Leena at the beginning. Forced to become streetwise and fend for herself, I was pumped when she squared off with the first assassin sent her way. I found though, as the story evolved away from the initial tough girl to her obsession with Noc, I found her chapters tough to get through until the last quarter of the book.

A rounded, brooding character, I found Noc and his guild to be one of the highlights of the book. The lore behind the guild was interesting and his diverse group of the fellow assassins really grabbed my attention.
If you are expecting Assassin’s Creed, then you will probably be let down. This book spends more time building up the Charmer side of the world. I’m expecting Martineau to spend more time with the assassin guild in future books, as she did a fabulous job shaping the side characters (assassins) that travel with Leena and Noc.

I would have preferred less romance and more beast charming action and assassin-y moments but the current trajectory of the story is exciting and the set up for the rest of the series is solid. Conspiracies abound! This is a strong debut, and I look forward to reading the rest of the series!

** Review will be posted on Dream Come Review closer to publication date.

Leena Edenfrell has a bounty on her head. As an exiled Charmer, she has committed seemingly unpardonable offenses- she’s sold her magical beasts. Noc accepted the bounty for his guild, never expecting that Leena would offer him a trade that could provide him with the very cure he’s been seeking. There’s just one catch… once a member of Cruor accepts a bounty, the only option is death. Can Noc find a way to save Leena despite the bounty? Or will his growing love for her mean her death regardless?

KINGDOM OF EXILES is the first book in <i>The Beast Charmer</i> and wow, what an intriguing world Maxym M. Martineau has crafted for us! I love the idea of a magical bestiary and the range of creatures we get to meet. I have to admit that despite the power of beasts like Mistari, my favorite magical beast is Poof.
Leena and Noc are fascinating main characters. Maxym M. Martineau does a marvelous job at showing us their darker histories while still making both of them likable, heck even heroic at times. They both have somewhat dubious histories and yet they struggle to do the right thing, even when the odds are stacked against them. I’m excited about what the future holds for both Leena and Noc!

KINGDOM OF EXILES is a great start to a new fantasy series, set in a dark but captivating new world. Maxym M. Martineau gives us a spectacular glimpse at some of the creatures that populate this world and oh, I hope there are even more in store for us (although I can’t imagine any cuter and cuddlier than Poof!). If you love fantasy novels with multidimensional characters, creative world building, and a plot that is literally to die for then KINGDOM OF EXILES should be on your must-read list!

*review is in the editing queue- I'm including a link to the article already posted that features this book*

Omg. But really though. Omg.

I just finished Kingdom of Exiles and, quite frankly, Maxym M. Martineau's incredible imagination makes me proud to be a human being.

This book is is Throne of Glass meets Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them meets...Pokémon? And it's AMAZING. It's thick, throbbing, wretched angst. It's palpable sexual tension for days and days. And it's an intricate, vivid fantasy world that will suck you in so deep that you will forget to come up for air.

If you're a fan of Amanda Bouchet's The Kingmaker Chronicles then buckle the eff up because you are going to love Kingdom of Exiles. And if you're someone who says ...Oh, I don't know. I'm not really into Fantasy Romance...let me just stop you. Allow me, if you will, to place a gentle finger against your lips. Shhh. Give this book a chance. I finished Kingdom of Exiles in a 48 hour period and in Mom Time...that's like...12 hours? Let me put it this way... In my pre-kid days I would have knocked this out in one sitting. It's delicious.

Kingdom of Exiles is set to release in June of this year. Pre-order it pleeeease. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy. Gawd, this is a good one.

I enjoyed the premise of this book and would probably continue to read more in the series. It reminded me a lot of the anime/manga Fairy Tail, whose main character holds keys to celestial spirits. The story seemed to move a little fast and I would have liked to know a little more about the characters before the romance began.

I really enjoyed the story line of this book - the author's imagination in the beasts and their charmers, the assassins and their abilities and the makeup of the land was complex and fascinating. This wasn't the type of a book that I would normally read so it took me a little bit to get into the meat of the story but once I got there I really enjoyed it and it moved faster.

I liked the way the story developed and will enjoy reading the next book in the series. At this point I'm invested in the characters and would love to see where their story goes. Leena and Noc are complex characters and their interactions, as well as those involving their beasts and friends and background is interesting.

I received an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for my review but I can easily say that I will purchase the book and the subsequent books in the series to read.

Oh my gods this book! LOVE. 5/5 stars!

When I got this, I was SUPER excited to read it. A Charmer on the run from being framed for a crime she didn't commit, assassains fulfilling a bounty on her head, and a curse that forbids any chance of developing relationships. Kinda reminds me as a more adult Pokemon mixed with some undead assassains.

My goodness. This was so amazing and I was hooked from the beginning.

Leena sells off beasts in order to provide for herself and to survive. After being exiled from her home because of an act that her ex-lover made, she was pinned with the crime and forced on the run. After an encounter with an assassain, she storms to Cruor, where the shadow assassains guild lies, in order to remove her bounty on her head. Noc, the leader of the guild, makes a deal with Leena: 4 beasts in exchange for none of his men to come after her head. After the deal is set, they go on to travel to collect this beasts, but Leena is also hoping to find a legendary one in order to hekp clear her name. As you can guess, lots of trouble happens along the way.

I had so much fun reading this! I loved the cheerful banter of Oz and Calum, the seriousness of Kost, and the darkness of Noc. There is so much going on with these characters, but Noc was my favorite of the bunch. Even more than Leena, and that's saying something because I love her! Noc just has so much surrounding him, so many secrets, his curse, and just his fight to want something but not repeat the past. His development is honestly amazing, and I loved hery second of it. Even though I can guess some things that may be revealed in the next book, I have no doubt I will still love him.

We really get to know a lot about Leena, and especially how she ended up in the situation she's in. She was fragile and strong at the same time. She had this light air around her, but can easily make everything tense at a moment's notice. She's so much more powerful than she lets on, but she always tries to ignore her emotions in fear of betrayal. Seeing her being able to open up to the group she was in, and then by the end come to the decisions she's made, it just made me pretty happy. I can't wait to read more of her.

Honestly, just check this one out. Doesn't come out for a few months, but it's definitely worth the wait! I know I'll be picking up a physical copy for myself for sure. I can't wait for the next book, which hopefully isn't too far away.

ARC provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.