I am amazed at the detail and plot lines in this book. The story isn't finished, but it could be and this I did feel there was a HE A at the end. It's not up in Amazon or I would have reviewed it. Give stars. I want the author to make a coloring book of all the beasts!!

A deliciously delightful tale. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series to see what happens next. I enjoyed the adventure both Leena and Noc were on. It was fascinating to read the book with alternating points of views and see the events play out without loosing the reader. The descriptions were great as they pulled you deeper into the story and made your mind leap with its creative flair. The characters didn't fall into the stereotypical good guy bad guy but some of them lacked a bit more depth that I hopes gets more developed in the next book. Overall, I enjoyed this book and am anxious to read the next one. Give it a try. You won't be disappointed.

This book was received as an ARC from SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book was jawdroppingly brilliant. I could not stop reading it. Leena and Noc were very intriguing characters that met under the most darkest of circumstances. I love books with twists that are mostly made of of events that no one saw coming. Every chapter and event in the plot were so entertainingly addicting that this was the book that you can't stop reading. I also love Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them so if you are a fan of that book you will definitely enjoy Kingdom of Exiles.

We will consider this title in our YFantasy collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

*4.5 Stars*
Fantastic Beasts meets Assassin’s Creed? Oh yeah. The author had me at Assassin’s Creed, and when I saw it was a fantasy romance, I nearly swooned and made some serious grabby hands. I was so excited to read this book, and the only reason I delayed was the fact I was dead-center in Leigh Bardugo’s King of Scars, and there was no putting that one down. But then, THEN I was onto Kingdom of Exiles, and let me tell you, it was worth the wait.

The world building is awesome, fresh and fun. Leena is a kickass heroine with a sweet side who has the very useful skill of charming monsters that roam the land. She keeps them in a bestiary, and I’m not going to lie—the monsters and how they fought reminded me a lot of Pokemon. And now I want a Poof of my own.

Leena winds up on a hit list, which leads her to a meet and greet with Noc, the sexy, aloof, powerful leader of the realm’s deadliest assassins. Noc has his own issues to deal with, but when Leena manages to strike a bargain with him, the fun and their rocky journey really begin. I loved the assassins together, the bantering, their quirks and personalities, but it is the one quibble I had and is probably just my personal preference sliding in. Because the assassins were so friendly and personable, they didn’t seem like assassins. I just couldn’t reconcile that these normal, caring (albeit deadly) people could accept kill contracts from anonymous people (who could be good or evil) without questioning who they were killing or why. And that’s why I dropped the stars to 4.5. But with that aside, I loved the history behind how they acquired their assassin abilities, another great piece of world building.

If you’re looking for a fantasy romance with action and danger, a unique, intricate world, a band of assassins and a fierce protagonist with all sorts of monsters, not to mention some steamy and touching romance, I highly recommend Kingdom of Exiles.

I received this ARC for an honest review. Maxym Martineau is a new to me author. I admit I was a little nervous because I have read some not for me books, but Maxym Martineau was a nice surprise. I really enjoyed this book. The author’s character and world building was well done. I was able to see the author’s world and characters. This story is about Leena and Noc. Leena is a charmer. Who is a person that creates a bond with different creatures and the creatures choose them and serve them. Noc is an assassin who leads the Cruor. The Cruor is an assassin for hire. They can control shadows and turn them into weapons. Noc was hired to kill Leena. He sent his second in command, Kost, to do the job. Leena was able to bind Kost before he got to do the job. She wanted to barter with the Cruor for her life. When she arrived, things did not go as planned.
I stayed up late just to find out what happens next. I recommend this book, and I will definitely read the next book.

When I read that this book is like the Fantastic Beasts meets Assassin's Creed, I knew I just had to read it. Then I started the book and was like I’m not sure what this is what I wanted. I pushed on as I don’t give up. It was a good thing I did as I started to enjoy it. The more I read the more I liked it. When it ended I wanted more.

This book has a beast charmer named Leena Ednfrell. She is an exile from her lands and does what she needs to survive. However, what she does is sell beasts on the black market and if she is caught, she could be killed. She knows her life is in danger and is always looking over her shoulder. What she didn’t expect is a bounty to be placed on her head.

Now meet Noc the leader of the brotherhood of assassins. He is not happy when the assassin sent to kill Leena returns with her. Now she wants to negotiate with him. He listens to what she has to say and thinks he can turn it to benefit him and his group.

Next comes the time together and the feels start. Both Leena and Noc are keeping secrets and both think they will make it out of this unharmed. Neither one sees what the future holds.

* ARC provided through NetGalley and publisher for an honest review.

This novel is a wonderful escape into a world where anything is possible. The characters are well-developed and the story line is full of unexpected surprises. Great read for anyone who enjoys wondering if there really is a hidden world of magic out there!

I had a feeling the book wouldn't live up to the description. I was wrong! It surpassed it and more. I've never read a book in this genre, but it was so captivating and such a page turner that I will certainly look for more of it's kind!
I like how Maxym built the characters and the story along in an engaging and enthralling way. Kept me reading for sure. Can't wait to read more from this author!
All opinions are my own!
Thank you NetGalley, Maxym Martineau, and SOURCEbooks Casablanca for allowing me the privilege of this ARC.

When I read in a description that a book is a cross between two things (Assassin's Creed and Fantastic Beasts in this book's case) I expect it to be derivative. That's absolutely not the case here and that description does it a disservice.

This book was fun and unique, and it didn't want to put it down. The author creates a fantasy world full of beasts and magic, but she doesn't feel the need to spend time laying out that world for you. Instead, you discover it as you're reading the book. I really appreciate this. It's so much better to discover things naturally through the story. The characters are great and well-developed. I was rooting for all of them. I can't wait for more from this story in particular and from the author in general.


I received an ARC from Netgalley and this is my honest review.

Wow! I was really surprised by how much I liked this book! Leena is a Charmer, meaning she can charm magical beasts, adding them to her personal bestiary. The descriptions of the beasts are amazing and make you really believe in them. Unfortunately, Leena is exiled from her home for something that she insists she didn't do, and is forced to sell some of her magical beasts to get enough money to live on and to buy a particular beast to help clear her name, and that is punishable by death. She is handling everything as well as she can, but then she finds out that she is being stalked by an assassin for hire, which really doesn't help her situation at all! She is forced to make a deal with the assassins in exchange for her life, and this sets in motion a journey and a quest that will forever change her life.

I'm going to say first that I loved all of the main characters, and felt they were very well fleshed out. They were complex and very real. The world building was amazing and the action intense. Then we come to the romance, which was slow to build (I really hate insta-love) and very, very hot. I found myself really pulling for everything to work out for these two!

In summary, I loved this book so much and am looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy!! I definitely recommend it for fans of fantasy and romance.

I was surprised by how much I loved this book! The world building really took me in, The charmers' animals were so magical; the author's descriptions of the animals were so well formed that I could envision them,
The assassins were a surprise since I expected stone cold killers but found people who were anything but cold, unless they were in assassin mode.

And then there are the main characters, Leena the Charmer and Noc the assassin. Leena had so much goodness in one person, so much love for her animals and so much sorrow for the loss of her homeland. Noc, the head of the assassin guild, was such a troubled soul, burdened with responsibilities; I kept wondering how he was going come through everything.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest review.

I was provided with an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this story! It was an exciting new tale for the fantasy genre. I would love to see certain characters fleshed out a bit more and other parts given more detail, but I enjoyed the writing and the idea of Charmers and beasts so much!! Looking forward to more.

What a great book. Really enjoyed the world building and the character development of the heroine. I did not like the mystery surrounding the hero, though I’m pretty sure this will be revealed in the next book. I loved the supporting characters and hope they will also get their own books. I also thought it was very cute how much they loved and cared for their beasts. This book really caught my attention. I’m a big paranormal genre fan and love when there’s a book that’s different from the vampire/werewolf story, but just as engrossing. Highly recommend.

I have long believed that there is nothing new under the sun, and the only way to achieve originality in writing was to give a different, fresh viewpoint on an old, established idea. Even if it required being traced back to pre biblical times. I was wrong.

This book has opened my eyes to wonder and almost childlike amazement by creating a world where monsters are the ones we give our most love and care to, and people are the ones we most need to look out for. Charmers show cruelty unparallelled while Assassins show mind altering love.

Throughout this book I find myself reminded of the greats in the genre; Frank Herbert, Anne McCaffrey, Melanie Rawn, Raymond E Feist and Mercedes Lackey, to name a few. The world building is so captivating that by the end of this first of the trilogy I felt I knew this world as intimately as my own.. Such world building is difficult, to say the least, and worthy of awe when so in depth that I find myself lost within it for hours, unable to come up for air without feeling a loss of balance. Maxym Martineau, in her debut novel, created a world so detailed, so descriptive that it wouldn't be far fetched to find myself living in it in my dreams. This is so difficult a thing to do and yet she seems to do it with such ease.

The character building , I also found, was no less amazing. Creating a heroine, a hero and a villian, a family of miscreants and a lost family of supposed do-gooders, is no less difficult as creating a cast of creatures that each have their own personality, their own gifts, their own histories, even their own detailed descriptions. This cast of monsters (though you will find yourself not thinking of them as monsters by the time you're done) has such depth that they capture your hearts, your minds and your souls. You find yourself wanting to bring them home with you to raise, to nurture, to take comfort from and offer comfort to. They become your children just as your pets would in this supposed real world in which we now live. The diversity of characteristics is so vast that you could spend months just picking one to "charm" into your family. Such imagination is not just rare but extraordinary in the way it captures you so thoroughly. Such talent!

Meeting Leena and Noc and all the people that make up this corner of this amazing universe is a treat. Learning their likes and dislikes, their talents and their failings, their friendships and their enemies is a full time job, just as choosing friends in the real world would be. I found myself walking away with a brand new family to love and cherish, to welcome into my own imagination where they can reside with all the other characters I've come to love in all the other novels in my fantasy universe. By the time I had finished Book One of the Beast Charmers trilogy I found myself more than ready for Book Two. Following this amazing story is certain to land them on your Must Read group of books yet to come.

If I have gotten nothing else across with this review, I hope I have at least sparked your interest in who these people are, who their creatures are and where they call home. There is new, raw talent encompassed within this wonderful author's mind and everyone who loves fantasy will find themselves a new, undeniably captivating, epic series in Beast Charmers, Kingdom of Exiles. And for a debut, novel, she has surprised and delighted me in ways it usually takes at least 2 books into a new series to do.

So, for some of the finest writing, most detailed editing, and most imaginative world and character building, allow me to say, Excellent Work! So Very Very Very well done, Maxym Martineau, so Very Very well done in-very-deed!

I received this book from NetGalley as an ARC and give this review in my own words and of my own volition.

Most of the time reviewing a book is easy, but with this one it is hard because i'm sad. The reason I'm sad is because of how long it's going to be before the next book comes out! In all honesty this was a great book. The world building was excellent, the characters were well developed and the story gripping. I enjoyed this book immensely and found a new author i love and will add to the list of authors I wait longingly for the next book to come out.

I literally could not put this book down until I finished it! This book had a perfect blend of fantasy and romance and the characters were well developed. This was a immersive world and I look forward to the next book(s) in the series. I highly highly recommend this book for anyone, especially those that enjoy fantasy and romance genres.

“Assassin’s Creed meets Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” was all I needed to read before I squealed, yes, literally squealed with delight and enthusiastically hit “READ NOW” on my ARC. It’s like they knew the way to my heart.

A few words come to mind to describe this book and the story within — Irresistible. Dangerous. Sexy. Magical. Fantastic. Not sure if they do it justice but oh my! This was just the book I needed to read right now and I didn’t realize I needed it. It’s an incredibly original story that dives right into the action without any downtime. The pages just kept turning and I was totally consumed by it all. I was in awe of the world-building and the beasts, down to the very last detail. I got sucked right in without a second thought and was able to see it all before my eyes as I was entranced by the story.

I loved Leena because she stayed true to herself and I loved Noc for the exact same reason. They didn’t change or have to change in order to fall for each other. They just gravitated towards each other, as is, and fell in love. And then they grew as characters, together. It was an amazing love story that left me wanting more!

The rest of the brethren, Calem, Oz and yes, even Kost, were the perfect supporting characters, offering comedic relief and angst when needed. They were great and I found myself hoping for more interactions with them.

This is definitely my new favorite series! I can’t wait for the next books.

This book had it all - Crazy edge of your seat adventure, fantastical creatures, and an AMAZING love story. If you like those three things, then you will LOVE this book. Honestly, I'll probably still pick up a physical copy of this book when it releases just because I thought it was that good and I want it in my library!

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

This novel was a great read! Combining magic and beasts with romance and adventure, it a must read!
Leena Edenfrell is an exiled charmer and has had to sell magical beasts to keep herself alive, a crime in itself. She was falsely accused and plans to capture a powerful beast to get herself back in with the Council and destroy the man who put her into exile. Leena is savvy and knows what she wants, which makes her determined yet stubborn. When an attempt on her life fails, she goes to the home of the assassins responsible for carrying out the order. There she meets their leader Noc, who has his own demons and secrets. Noc comes off as stoic, not showing any emotion, but there is more to him that you learn about throughout the novel. Noc plans on getting what he wants from Leena and then carrying out the order. He has always protected the brotherhood, but now has something he can bargain with to get magical beasts. There are many different kinds of beasts, which is fascinating as well as learning about their abilities. Leena, Noc, and others travel to gather these beasts and Leena pursues her own objective. Neither as willing to completely trust the other, but they never expected the feelings that would arise. Noc cannot love anyone due to his curse and Leena refuses to love after a deep betrayal. No one controls the heart though and sacrifices are made, though the price paid is even more dangerous than they know. I cannot wait to read the next novel in the series!

This book was SO not what I expected. It was a thousand times better.

I am very skeptical about new fantasy authors, and almost always avoid them until I have a recommendation from someone I trust. I love good fantasy so much, but it’s also very easy to ruin. That being said, I am so glad I took a chance on this book.

Full disclosure, I got the ARC from Netgalley during the open download time. I happened to come across it, and decided to give it a whirl.

World building: The most important part of any good fantasy is world building. This world was created with excellence. The descriptions are colorful, vivid enough to perfectly imagine the seen without being so descriptive that it bogs down the story. The story begins immediately. There is no long period of historical description about how we got here, or anything like that. You simply have to figure it out as you go. I actually really prefer this method. I think it keeps my attention better.

Character Development: Leena and Noc are both excellent characters. By the end of the book, there are still things yet to be learned about Noc’s history. Enough has been unveiled that you have a general idea, but there is still some mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed that. As with the world, the characters are revealed piece by piece. Rather than knowing everything about them in the first few chapters, their histories and personalities are revealed slowly. It felt very organic. When you meet someone, you don’t automatically know everything there is to know about them. In the same way, we learn more and more about Leena and Noc at a natural pace.

Plot: Reading this description, I was very hesitant. I love Fantastic Beasts and Assassins Creed, but a combination? ehhhh? It’s not a perfect analogy, but I can see how those parallels could be drawn. This story felt totally original to me. That is a novel concept. I thoroughly enjoyed it. There were several little plot twists that I enjoyed very much.

I wholeheartedly give this story 5 stars. I cannot wait for the rest of the series. I can’t wait for release day! You guys gotta read this!