Kingdom of Exiles was better than I expected it to be. Leena is a very strong intelligent female lead. Definitely don't see enough of that type of character. She has amazing abilities. Interactions with other characters are engaging, dynamic and entertaining. She's the total package. The story is well written and different from other fantasy fiction I've read. The world building is excellent. The plot unfolds just right with twists and turns in all the right places. I read it in two days. I recommend for anyone wanting a fun, engaging and unique story. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was surprised by this book. Figured it would be one of those books where the description was better than the actual book, and was I so completely wrong. Couldn’t put the book down. From the strong female protagonist, amazing collection of mystical creatures, to the motly crew of assisasins, I was hooked. This story was a nice departure from either the heroine or hero having to save the other, instead they helped each other save themselves. Cannot wait for the next installment!

Magic check
Badass heroine check
Hot assassin check
Awesome beasts check

Kingdom of Exile is a new world filled with amazing snippets of actions, laughs, and adventure.
I truly haven't read a book in a while that has captured my full attention in a while. Such a page turner!
I finish this book in one sitting.

Fans of strong female protagonists will love this book. It is decidedly the most unique fantasy I have read in a long time. Assassins, mystery, betrayal, excellent worldbuilding, and lest I forget, THE most fabulous and complex imagining of beasts in any depiction. Charmers are the ultimate beastmaster and Leena has been banished from her people by betrayal. With a price now on her head, the assassins may be her only hope of canceling the contract. I can't stress how much I liked this book. Read in one sitting, could not put it down. Recommend this to anyone a fan of fantasy. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book from Netgalley.

Hot dang, if you're looking for a darker, slow-burn romance novel then this is it, folks. I'm a huge fan of both the Assassin's Creed games and Fantastic Beasts so this was right up my alley. My main struggle with most romance novels is that the back story isn't strong enough alone to keep my interest without the romance, i.e. I'm bored to death reading chapters that aren't focusing on the love. However, this was a rare exception. Reading about all the creatures in the book was fun and honestly made me want my own mythical creature. Overall, a very strong romance and I look forward to future books in the series.

Excellent read. Grabbed my attention from the beginning and kept me entertained to the last. The characters were described in minute detail and were charming and relatable and their world was just as illustrated. A couple of delightful and not seen coming twist towards and at the end.

3.5 stars

This is the first book of a trilogy and the set up took some time for me to wrap my head around. It took almost half of the story before I really got into the swing of things and became invested in the characters. I’m glad I stuck with it because that’s when the story really picked up speed! The myriad of beasts Leena could conjure and/or charm was my favorite part of the story. From cute, cuddly, and wily to ferociously protective, I never knew what Leena had up her sleeve! As to the characters, Leena, Noc, and his band of assassins were a fun, mysterious bunch, especially Noc. I can’t wait to see what’s in store next!

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