Kingdom of Exiles by Maxym M. Martineau

First book in the Beast Charmer series

3 stars

Leena is an exiled beast charmer. She makes a living catching low-grade beasts to stay alive and has made many enemies of Charmers and humans alike. Her latest enemy has put a hit on her and this assassin is like no other. The Cruor are assassins that have been raised from the dead and can control the shadows. After Leena defeats a Cruor and nearly kills him, the leader—Noc—decides to use this hit for his advantage and get some beasts. Will Noc carry through with assassinating Leena? Will Leena be able to prove that she isn’t evil by taming the Myad and proving herself as a worthy innocent to the beast? Who has the hit on Leena and why do they want her to be apart of a ritual sacrifice? I usually don’t pose questions in writing a synopsis, but I figured if these questions pique your interest then this will probably be a book for you. Kingdom of Exiles has a fun plot. The plot follows the vein of most paranormal fantasy novels, but this novel is heavy fantasy (which was an aspect I liked). Martineau has some interesting world-building and I found the concepts of both the Charmers and the Cruor to be interesting and complex. The writing, itself however, lacked in complexity and stank of swoon-worthy cringe. Some of these lines were so unnecessary and completely took out of the story. Here are some examples:
“The confident jerk of her chink threw me, and some of the anger stoking in my core snuffed out. I couldn’t help but admire the way she carried herself. Like an assassin unafraid of death.” (Not too bad, but my eyes still glanced at the back of my head briefly.)
“Please cut yourself. Cut yourself, and let me pretend to fuss over you. Let me get a napkin and wipe away the blood so I can save it for the taming. Please.” (This one was SO WEIRD. It’s even weirder out of context. I can’t believe I read this in a book.)
“Jealousy was a beast, and I feared Leena was the only Charmer skilled enough to tame it.”(Puns and cringe all at the same time.)
“The Myad wasn’t the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. Noc would always win that contest.(You could be killed this is not the best time to judge beauty, Leena.)
“He’d absolved me of my transgressions. Clean. I was clean. And worthy of being his.” (Thought she was talking about her love interest. No, it’s her beast who seems to be Jesus.)
“You don’t have to worry about me… I don’t have feelings for you. It’s safe.” (One of those I’m lying about my feelings tropes. How YA.)
Don’t even get me started on the part when the Charmers mentioned Noc being Leena’s mate. I had Sarah J. Maas flashbacks so hard that I swear I thought I was in ACOTAR for a second. Obviously, the writing is this book’s weakest feature. This can be both a hindrance for the reader who reads a lot or a blessing for a reader just looking for a quick and easy read. It’s all those boxes. I’m still laughing about these quotes even as I wrote them.



Whimsical Writing Scale: 2.25

Leena isn’t a bad heroine. She has some depth. There are added layers with her secret past, banishment, and lover gone wrong. It’s a fun time, typical to the genre, but fun nonetheless. I also really liked her scenes with taming the beasts for the Cruor assassins. Those scenes made this book for me. The Charmer aspect of this novel is really strong and it was fun.


Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: 3

Noc has some good features, but I wasn’t ever really swooning over him. He didn’t steal the show for me. In fact, out of all the Cruor characters I liked him the least which isn’t really winning this dead guy many points in the romance department. He is also a very grey villain for a while which was fun and I kind of wish he hadn’t fell in love with Leena because I lowkey wanted to see them dual and one of them die. I am writing a fanfiction for this novel in my review. Time for me to talk about something else.


Swoon Worthy Scale: 2

The Villain- Boring. Typical and you don’t even get to find who put the hit on her at the end of the book. The sequel is, I’m expecting, going to be all about hunting down this mystery woman. Lowkey wish Noc was the villain because it would’ve added so many layers to this plot.


Villain Scale: 2

The Cruor are my favorite thing. Seriously, if you love friendship and brotherhood dynamics (which are apparently I trope I’m a sucker for) then this is for you. Think ACOTAR with the Night Court or The League from the League series. Be still my beating fangirl reader heart. Calem is the playboy with a heart of charm and he is a goofball. I adored him and he was so funny. Ozias is my absolute FAVORITE of all the characters in this book. He’s awkward, but sweet and full of awkward charm. Kost was dark and brooding and the most annoying of the characters, but his layered background was kind of fascinating. (Also, if Kost is in love with Noc and Noc refused to let himself fall in love or Kost would die, does this mean that Noc isn’t straight? I will admit that does make Noc more layered than most paranormal romance heroes.)


Character Scale: 4

Overall, this novel is fun. It’s not incredibly complex and I didn’t like the ending. I probably won’t be continuing with the series because I didn’t like the direction shift (unless we follow a different POV other than Leena and Noc then sign me up). This is perfect for fans of the paranormal romance genre and fantasy readers who like some lighter high-fantasy.


Plotastic Scale: 3.5

Cover Thoughts: This cover is gorgeous and even though she looks awkward I like it a lot.

Thank you, Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

***contains spoilers***

First of all, the texture in this book is absolutely gorgeous. It felt like every page was glowing, or dripping, or scaly, or furry. The creatures were great fun, and the action scenes were top-notch.

That said, I had a hard time connecting to the romance. Having a queer hero whose love literally kills the people he cares for, and who is then cured so the straight heroine can be safe just feels ... a little hinky to me. I have a very high standard for magical metaphors for AIDS, and this did not really live up to my requirement that magical STIs be treated thoughtfully. I am certain the author did not intend this metaphor to have this resonance, but it made the reading experience considerably less pleasant for me.

This book was an engaging start to a new fantasy series filled with sympathetic characters and lots of fantastic beasts ala J.K. Rowling. The main female lead is Leena, a beast Charmer, raised in a hidden city filled with Charmers, but exiled after being accused and framed by her boyfriend of a forbidden crime (the "charming" of a human) that he actually committed. The main male lead is Noc, an assassin and head of a special guild filled with people who were raised from the dead and given new life as assassins. He's got his own problems, as he's laboring under a curse that condemns anyone he loves to death. As the book opens, Noc's guild is hired by an unknown Charmer to assassinate Leena, but she bargains for her life by agreeing to gift him and a few of his men with their own beasts to help protect them. They set off on a trip to obtain the beasts as well as a legendary one that Leena has been searching for that she hopes will prove her innocence to her Council.

As you can see, this book has a lot going on. There's quite a bit of plot and world building, although some details were still sketchy and presumably will be revealed in later books. The book definitely had some elements in common with Fantastic Beasts, but at the same time, I thought that the author did a good job in creating her own story and grounding it firmly in a fantasy world that is clearly not just some alternate Earth. The story bogged down a few times for me due to the world building, but the author tells a good story, has a clear vision of what she wants her world to look like, and has the skill to convey that world to the reader.

As for Leena, Noc, his group of lieutenants, and especially, those amazing beasts, I definitely want more of all of them. I think anyone who likes Fantastic Beasts, or who just likes stories with animals in them will love this. Leena's bond with her beasts is strong and loving. Noc is a sympathetic hero, laboring under a curse that prevents him from forming strong, close bonds with others, but clearly wanting badly to do so. I loved Noc's group of assassins (especially Oz) and hope to see more of them in later books. All in all, a very promising start to a new series, especially for a debut author.

This was so good! The world building was amazing and if any book gets the Netflix treatment this year-it needs to be this one. I would love to see all of the beautiful, colorful beasts brought to life.

Leena is a beast charmer, gifted with the magical talent to tame wild beasts and bond them to her. Betrayed by her first love and ostracized by her people, Leena is on the run trying to curate a collection of beasts that will give her enough power to finally clear her name. After surviving a murderous attack, Leena is forced to join Noc and his clan of formally dead assassins known as Cruor.

Leena has two choices, die or supply the group with beasts.

Leena chooses to live.

Surrounded by people who would love to see her dead, Leena must find the assassins their beasts, discover who put a hit out on her, and survive falling for the deadly leader of Cruor.

This one is so much fun! I love all the descriptions of the beasts and their special gifts. Not only can Leena bond with them and make them appear, but they live in a magical beast realm that sounds amazing. A little like Fantastic Beasts but way deadlier and infinitely sexier.

Leena is incredibly strong and intelligent. She has a lot going on-death threats, being exiled from her people, dangerous beasts, a man that can kill her if he falls in love with her-it's a lot to process. Because yep, not only is Noc a formerly dead assassin tasked with killing her, he's also cursed.

I love a good curse.

Magical worlds, beautiful beasts, intense fight scenes, found family, super steamy love scenes-this checks all the boxes.

And, it's the first book in a series…

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for letting me read an advanced copy of this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own.

The assassins' lot is not a happy one!

This brings together all those things I love in a fantasy saga. The woman wronged yet fighting to continue her life her way. Charmer Leena Edenfrell is compassionate, feisty and all woman. The assassin leader Noc takes on a hit that's not only a paying job but one that might exorcise a curse that has followed him throughout his life and beyond. Noc has a history that is hinted at throughout. We know that this is only the beginning for him.
Of course the target is Leena! A Charmer of magical beasts who was wrongly exiled form her fellows for exploiting her gifts. Only it wasn't Leena, and the proving of that becomes a fight for survival, and for love.
Noc cannot love. The curse falls on those he loves. They die. He wants to break the curse, and using a powerful magical creature might help him. Be careful what you wish for. There will be a cost!
And now there's a shadowy figure or figures amongst his employers wanting to take Leena out. But that becomes harder than it seems.
Noc's fellow assassins who join him are an interesting team whom Leena comes to appreciate as their journey together brings surprises and revelations.
I'm looking forward to the next stages of this saga, and more about the mysterious Noc.

A NetGalley ARC

This was an enjoyable story and I liked the world the author has created. The idea of this story felt original, especially the charming of beasts. I loved how the beasts all had their own personalities and would've loved more interactions with them. The love story was well developed and did not feel rushed (I can't stand insta-love) and I liked how Leena developed relationships with Noc's brethren as well. I did like both Noc and Leena. Neither was perfect but that's what made them real and original.

My issues were with some of the writing style. At times (for me) imagery used just didn't make any sense and I found myself wondering what the heck I was supposed to be picturing. There were also some editing issues that left plot holes or assumptions that should have been spelled out better. At a few points I wasn't even sure who was speaking due to things jumping around and lack of clarity in parts of the writing. It did have a YA feel towards the end with a lot of inner dialogue for the lead characters. I like YA so I didn't mind too much, but a little more doing a little less internal thinking would've been nice towards the end.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and did feel connected to the characters and events. I look forward to the next book and seeing what happens next.

Originally Posted at Ramblings From This Chick
http://ramblingsfromthischick.blogspot.com/2019/06/arc-review-kingdom-of-exiles-by-maxym-martineau.html

Kingdom of Exiles is a debut for new author Maxym M. Martineau. It was advertised on Goodreads as, "Fantastic Beasts meets Assassin's Creed." I LOVED Fantastic Beasts so it grabbed my attention, and I read the synopsis. Don't really know anything about Assassin's Creed but that's ok.

Leena Edenfrell has been exiled from her kind, Beast Charmers, though she keeps the skills she learned before her exile. In order to survive, she sells beasts that she charms for people, which is against everything she learned from the Charmers. She does the best she can, and it is all to go towards finding redemption for her false crimes. Unfortunately for her, she gets targeted by an assassin, one who though she defeats, means there is a bounty on her head that the entire organization will go after her to fulfill.

Noc is the leader of an undying people in a place called Cruor. They are assassins for hire. When Leena walks into their home with one of his brothers hostage, she immediately has his attention. They strike a deal; she will acquire four beasts for him and his people will spare her life. Noc hopes there is a possibility a beast can stop a curse put upon him. He is also clever though to create a loophole in their bargain so he can still keep his contract.

Leena, Noc, and three other Cruor members set out to find the beasts. All the while, the assassins do what they've learned they shouldn't do to get their job done. They get to know Leena and start to believe in her innocence. All the while, she sneaks into Noc's thoughts and heart, which could be fatal for them both.

Within this emotional struggle and new world was a great starting point for a fantasy romance. I loved learning about some of the beasts described, but I was disappointed that as the book progressed, we learned less about new creatures. The love interest between Leena and Noc wasn't as convincing to me, though it wasn't horrible. I found myself more interested in the three other members of the group.

For me this book had a great build up and idea, and then around the halfway mark, it began to lose my interest. Despite that, I did enjoy the tale overall and I hope to have the opportunity to continue reading the series. Definitely a great debut!

Despite being put off a little by the Assassin’s Creed comp (I know *nothing* about that game), I really enjoyed this! There was just the right mix of romance and action, and enough pining to keep me happy (also dual POV!). I do wish the romance had been wrapped up in book one, so as to leave the next book for another couple, but re: fantasy romance, beggars can’t be choosers. Nonetheless I’ll still be reading.

This was a fun idea for a book; I really enjoyed the premise. It definitely reminded me of Pokemon more than Fantastic Beasts. Sometimes I felt the execution was a little lacking - I was impatient when it seemed like the plot was dragging, and I had a hard time connecting with the main character. I didn't buy fully into the romance, either.

That being said, I did enjoy the book. I especially enjoyed the back half, where it seemed like the author found the right pace and understood the characters a bit better.

The ending was satisfying and not a cliffhanger, which I appreciated. There will obviously be future books in the series, but I can't say I'm intrigued enough to read them.

This review was for an advance copy of Kingdom of Exiles via Goodreads; all opinions are my own.

I liked this book. The beasts i think are the best part of this book. Though both Noc and Leena are both fascinating to read about. I really liked the whole beast, shadows and other things that mentioned in this book. Leena is trying to get her life back and Noc has another mission. Together along with three other friends they find a way to accomplish one mission. You will find a great adventure, a love story, friendship and interesting magic in this book. I can't wait for the next book.


*I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.*

You will be enchanted by this new Beast Charmer series.

In an compelling new fantasy series, we meet Leena who is a beast Charmer. Her people can naturally charm and bond with beasts. But Leena has been banished from her homeland after being falsely accused by the man she loved of breaking their most sacred law never to charm the most cunning beasts of all – humans.

Leena refuses to live her life in the shadows for something she would never have done. She has plans to charm one of the most elusive beasts, a Class A beast, who would prove her worth and her innocence so she could go before the counsel once again and this time be heard over the charming lies of her ex-love.

Her plans are upset when she finds out the hard way that someone wants her out of the way bad enough and has hired the Cruor, assassins raised from the dead and who cloak themselves in shadows. They are such silent killers that their victims fall before they even know death was stalking them. They never fail to kill their target since they are magically bound to a contract. If they don’t make the kill, they die themselves. But the Cruor have never come up against a Charmer like Leena before and she uses her beasts to thwart her assassin and make him take her to his stronghold. Leena knows that the Cruor will never stop until she is dead. Her only means of survival would be to buy her way out of the contract.

But as Cruor have never had a target like Leena, Leena has never come upon anyone as cunning as their leader, Noc. He agrees that none of his men will fulfill the contract on Leena if she give him and his friends four beasts, never letting her know that he has taken on the contract himself and once she captures the beasts, Noc himself will dispatch her. If he doesn’t kill Leena, Noc will die.

Leena convinces Noc to take her toward the legendary beast she is looking for and she will charm beasts along the way for him and his men. The problem is that the more time Noc and his men spend with Leena, the more they come to like her. There are too many secrets and too much danger to the Cruor if they don’t fulfill their contract, but how do you kill someone who has become one of your family?

The story it noted as a cross between Assassin’s Creed and Fantastic Beasts but it takes the basic ideas and makes a story all its own. I liked Leena and her beasts. I liked Noc and his men. I had a hard time with Noc and Leena’s romance since Noc is under a curse and anyone he loves and who love him in return, falls ill and dies. So Noc is very cold and aloof to everyone, including his men, to keep them safe. This makes it hard for the romance to gel. Anytime there might have been feelings growing between them, Noc pulled back to protect her from the curse and leaving Leena feeling like a fool. She didn’t know how to feel and I had a hard time getting behind their romance. I kept wanting her to skip Noc and move on to Oz who was big and intimidating but actually very sweet and who was kind to her from the beginning. I enjoyed the bond between Oz and Leena and we had to go pretty far into the story for me to ship the right romance, but I still liked Oz.

There was great world building and we are introduced to some very interesting creatures. While it is not really a cliffhanger, this is the first of a trilogy so there will be some unfinished threads dangling at the end of the story. I definitely want to see where this story takes us.

Kingdom of Exiles by Maxym Martineau is book One in The Beast Charmer Series. This starts the story of Leena and Noc.
Leena is a beast charmer who was falsely accused of something and banished. So she has had to make her way alone, until she ends up on a hit list. Noc is an assassins who happens to be looking for her but Leena ends up talking them into a deal because they need beast that she can collect.
This was a great fantasy read and I can't wait for the next installment.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book but took a chance. And I’m glad I did. An interesting and original story. I liked that this isn’t a coming of age or a coming into magic story. The leads are who they are, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t growth and self-discovery. I loved the beasts, and this had more of a fantastical pokemon feel than the comparison made to Fantastic Beasts. There are assassins in this story, but I don’t get the Assassins Creed comparison either. The “guild” is part of the story but it’s not actually about that. This is an adventure story and a quest. I thought all of the good guys were well written, and I am anxious to find out what happens to them.

There were two big problems though. The world building and the bad guys. I never got a clear picture of what kind of world this is. I think it was supposed to be Steam Punkish, but there weren’t clear enough descriptions of the three places visited. Also, the villains were too veiled in secrecy. Even if some characters were in the dark we the readers should’ve been at least clued in on motivations if not detailed plans. That being said I did enjoy this book and I am looking forward to book two.

Fantasy romance, fantasy of any type, actually, is not my usual cup of tea. When I attended Book Lovers Con in May, a debut fantasy romance was included among the books in my registration bag. The back cover blurb was interesting and after chatting with the author at one of the conference events, I asked if she'd be interested in doing a Q&A for the blog. Which meant, of course, that I'd need to read the book. Though intrigued by the premise, knowing my history with fantasy, I opened the first page with the hope that I would enjoy it; that it would hold my attention. I did not expect to become so completely immersed in the story, so fully invested in the characters, and their journeys. I did not expect to care so. darn. much. But, Martineau brings her fantasy world to life with vivid descriptions that convince me such a place really does exist. She creates characters - human, beast, undead, and more - with care and complexity, giving them surprising layers, unexpected depths, and a range of emotions that stirred my own.

The first few chapters are a bit slow as I find to be the case with many novels that are first in a new series. There's world building to be accomplished, stages to be set, characters to be introduced, but once Leena reaches the assassins, the story takes off and, for me, not reading was not an option. At about the 60% mark, barely able to keep my eyes open, I went to bed, plugging my Kindle into the charger, intending to finish the book the next day. It stayed on the charger for about five minutes while I tossed and turned in bed. I couldn't stand it. I had come to care deeply for these characters. They were in peril and I had to know what happened next. I pulled the Kindle off the charger and dived right back into the story, not looking up again until I reached the final word around 2:00 AM. Then, I stayed awake for at least another hour, thinking about the characters, the beasts, everything that had happened and what, possibly, might come next. I'm still thinking about them almost three weeks later.

If this is an example of Martineau's storytelling skill as a debut author, I can't wait to find out what's in store for readers a few books down the road. I am all in, happily hooked, and eagerly anticipating every future book with Maxym M. Martineau's name on the cover.

Posted at The Romance Dish along with an author Q&A.

This book is phenomenal. I was immediately transported into this world and loved every page. The author created such a lush other world... I was wholly engrossed in this story and couldn’t pry myself away from it. Upon my first read coming to an end I was blown away at how romantic the story was while still maintaining the otherworldly mystique of fantasy fiction. In preparing to share my thoughts/review with my followers I have just concluded reading this book for a second time. Martineau is both a highly skilled storyteller and writer. I still maintain that this is the launch of a series that will receive acclaim.

Three and a half stars.

Leena Edenfrell is a Charmer, someone who can tame fantastical beasts, she was exiled from her homeland after being betrayed by her lover and now lives on the fringes of society selling magical beasts to suckers. If she could only charm a Myad she might be able to prove her innocence to the Charmers' council, but to do so she would need the blood of a killer, freely given.

Noc has a mysterious past but now leads the notorious assassins guild of Cruor, individuals who have been raised from the dead and will accept bounty for kills. His guild accepts a contract to kill Leena but she bests his assassin Calem and Noc sees an opportunity to lift the curse which blights his life - he will hold off killing Leena and escort her on her journey to find the Myad providing she gives him and his followers four beasts, including the Gyss which can grant wishes.

As Noc and his assassins travel with Leena they all learn more about each other, and Noc and Leena get closer, but with Noc's curse and Leena's bounty is there any future?

This is billed as Assassins Creed meets Fantastic Beasts and it's a pretty good description, albeit there aren't many assassinations, we see lots of weird and wonderful beasts with amazing powers. I loved the characters and I want to know more about their back stories and histories.

On the downside, there was quite a lot of sex for a fantasy novel, it felt a bit too contemporary for the genre and pulled me out of the genre. But otherwise I thought this was a great novel, full of mystery and great world building, I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Because I want late reading this and liking it so much I went out and got my own copy and can we talk about the cover because I don't think I have seen anything so beautiful!!
but I still want to thanks Netgalley for my copy!

My thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.


Page after page of action and just a small dose of smut!! Well and some romance too. Great book filled with action, adventure and beasts I want all the mythical creature and I can't wait to see where this story goes.



"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."

5/5 Stars

I'll be honest. When I pick up a romantic adult fantasy book, I don't expect that much fantasy out of the bedroom but holy smokes! I was pleasantly surprised with the immersive world building and the depth of the creature lore in this beautiful new series as well as the intense slow burn romance!

<u>Synopsis</u>
Leena has a price on her head, but it really shouldn't come as a shock. After being exiled from her home, Leena was forced to break the law by selling her precious beasts in order to survive. Noc is the head of Cruor, a mysterious order of assassins that accepted a contract to kill Leena. When Leena shows up on Noc's doorstep, they make a tenuous bargain. In exchange for capturing several beasts for Noc and three of his men, his order will not fulfill the death contract on Leena's life. If only the bargain made was easily kept and the secrets they hold couldn't hurt each other or threaten the world around them!

<u>Characters</u>
I loved Leena from the very first chapter! She's a survivor and it showed with her strength and determination. I loved how complex Leena's character was because the story also showed how much she loved and cared for her beasts. Noc's character was just as interesting with the brooding secretive nature and fierce loyalty to his assassins whom he saw as brothers. There was plenty of chemistry going on in this enemies to lovers trope between the main characters! I was very appreciative that it was a slow burn romance and didn't feel rushed to the point of instalove. The romance and sexy scenes were definitely worth the wait! I also loved the side characters including Kost, Ozias and Calem. The banter between the guys was fun to read and their interesting, individual natures added more depth to the overall story and background of the assassin's order. However, some of the best characters were the beasts. I loved how well written and thought out each beast was in this story. I felt like I was reading a lush fantasy without the added wordage that made you feel like you were stuck in a high fantasy. I can't wait to see new characters and beasts in the books to come!

<u>Pacing and Point of View</u>
The overall pacing was very well done! It had similar pacing to a YA or new adult novel with a slow burn adult romance. There were two points of view, Leena and Noc. I loved seeing a male's point of view in a romance! I feel like it's so rare and shouldn't be! The reader truly got a better sense of his past, closeness with his brotherhood of assassins, and thoughts throughout this adventure.

<u>Overall</u>
Overall, I really loved this story that was packed with interesting creatures, complex characters, fantasy, adventure and a sweet slow-burn romance. I cannot recommend this book enough if you love a good balance of fantasy and adult romance!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for allowing me the opportunity to read this amazing digital ARC early in exchange for an honest review. This was hands down an amazing debut novel and I cannot wait to see where this series goes next!

***I received this ARC courtesy of NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

Title: Kingdom of Exiles
Series: The Beast Charmer #1
Author: Maxym M. Martineau
Release date: June 25, 2019
Cliffhanger: yes
Genre: fantasy, paranormal romance

Kingdom of Exiles is the first in the Beast Charmer series and I'm so happy I took a chance to read this debut.
Kingdom of Exiles is a treat for every fantasy lover who enjoys a complex magical world with a heavy dose of romance and a surprising amount of steam. I loved the creativity, the beasts, who all had their own personality, and the characters that brought this world to life.

I look forward to continuing with The Beast Charmer series next year with The Frozen Prince.

Kingdom of Exiles is Maxym Martineau's first book in her The Beast Charmer sci fi fantasy romance series. I used to love paranormal romance and couldn't get enough of it, but the genre started to get a little stale for me. How many books about vampires and werewolves can one read? However, it's books like this that pull me back in and make it all refreshing and exciting.

Leena Edenfrell is a beast charmer who has been exiled from her home for a crime she did not commit. Totally broke, she sells her magical beasts (which is an offense punishable by death) in order to survive. A bounty is put on her head; however, she bests the assassin who is after her. After bringing him to the assassin's guild, she makes a deal with their leader, Noc. She will exchange magical beasts in exchange for the bounty on her to be lifted. Noc agrees, but little does Leena know that Noc still plans on her assassination...

The first part of this book goes along at a steady pace, introducing us to a new world and characters. Not too much is thrown at you at once, which would make everything more confusing. Once we are familiar with this new world, things really take off! Not only are the magical beasts fascinating, but also the assassins who really are a band of brothers. Some of my favorite parts of the story are when the assassins bond with their chosen beasts. The romantic relationship between Leena and Noc builds slowly, then totally ignites. This book caused my heart to beat faster, my mouth to grin and my eyes to shed many tears. I cannot wait to revisit this fascinating world that Ms. Martineau has created!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.