Kingdom of Exiles is an extraordinary story that skillfully combines adventure, thriller, and romance into a gripping read. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them meets Assassins Creed is an excellent description for Kingdom of Exiles.

We’re introduced to a fantastic realm where Leena is a charmer. This means that she can tame and bound with beasts (magical creatures with different supernatural abilities). Leena can summon them at will, and her beasts can protect her.

Blamed for a crime she didn’t commit, Leena is exiled by the Charmers Council and forced to make do by selling her beasts. Things go from bad to worse when an assassin tries to kill her, and she finds out there’s a bounty on her head. Her only chance to survive is to make a deal with the devil. Little does she know about the magic of Cruor’s Oath – assassins are bound by magic to complete their contracts. And thus the adventure begins.

“You’re a long way from home, Charmer. I will neither remove the bounty nor permit you to leave here safely.”

[…]

She was so fragile. Breakable. Hard to believe she’d somehow managed to trap my second-in-command. What made her so dangerous that she warranted a bounty?"

She strikes a bargain with Noc, the leader of the Assassins’ Guild by offering him beasts in exchange for her freedom. Since she’s unaware of the Cruor’s Oath, he can easily deceive her to get the promised beasts. He plans to kill her as soon as she delivers her end of the bargain. As you can expect, that doesn’t happen. Slowly but surely enemies turn into lovers, but they both have secrets and trust issues, so they fight their feelings. That part of the story was well developed and didn’t fall into the fake insta-romance trap.
He was an assassin. I was his bounty. There were so many things that could possibly go wrong— for both of us. And yet, no matter how hard I tried to fight it, I found myself drawn to him. Pulled to him like the ocean waves were guided by the moon.
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Be sure to read through to chapter 5. It may seem so hard and not great but if you make it that far you will fall into and read the entire book in one sitting. The characters are strong and wonderful. I absolutely love the creatures in the book. They were probably the greatest part of the book. Fantastic beasts would be proud to be known along with this one. I am excited to see what will happen in the next books.

Overall this was an enjoyable read. I wanted to know what would come next and read most the book in one go. However, I felt that the first 3 chapters tried too hard to sound ominous and used too many stereotypes to signal who was good/trustworthy or bad. Also, given the level of intelligence/moral rectitude attributed to the most mythical beast, it defied comprehension that it would be so easy to fool it into harming people it's master holds dear. Anyway, enough is left unresolved that I'd be interested in reading the next book in the series.

I have tried so hard to get through this. I almost quit at the way beginning but then I read reviews about how great this was. I’ll admit, when I got further into it I became more interested but im at 60% and I have yet to see anything exciting happen. The concept behind this is intruiging but the execution just doesn’t do it for me. The relationships don’t mesh well except for Leena and Oz. Noc is the main man here but I just don’t feel his emotions the way they’ve come out.
This was a DNF fr me. I just couldn’t go on.

Kingdom of Exiles by Maxym Martineau, a great fun read. I really enjoyed this book, it pulled me in from the first chapter and didn't let go, Leena is a charmer of mythical beasts and someone has hired assassins to kill her, assassins who never miss...

I really enjoyed this book. Sexy with unique concepts, but a bit predictable at times. All in all still a great book as long as you don't mind sexy bits.

This being the first book I read by the author exceed my expectations. The book was filled with magical beast and beast charming along with magical assassin. Leena is a beast charmer who is in exile and Noc is the magical assassin in charge with killing her. There is romance and does not end on a cliffhanger. I felt connected to them and enjoyed learning about the characters. I look forward to the next book in the story.

A very good YA Fanasty magical story.
Lena is a Beast Charmer and her friend accused her of a crime and a bounty is placed on her.
Noc accepts the bounty and goes after Lena.
Lena and Noc arrived at an agreement that's where all the action,drama,twists, suspense begins.
Very compelling story.
Really like all the characters and magical beasts.
Looking forward to the next.
Voluntarily reviewed.

I received this ARC via Netgalley and the publisher in return for an honest review. I loved this book! If you are a fan of Ilona Andrews and Anne Bishop, you should like this story very much (rare praise to compare to those amazing authors!). Strong characters; excellent word-building. This is a great start to a new series. The ending resolves enough that, even though it obviously sets up for a sequel, the ending status quo is satisfying as a stand-alone. In a world with magic, there are Charmers who live in a closed society and can symbiotically bond with other world creatures. An exiled Charmer, falsely accused, Leena is on her own and scraping by. She learns, the hard way, that there is a bounty on her head and the assassins guild has accepted the contract. This precipitates an unheard of agreement between Noc, the head of the guild (all of whom have died and been reborn, by the way) and Leena, the exiled Charmer. Their agreement takes them into dangerous situations, accompanied by three other members of the guild. Noc has reasons for wanting to use the agreement, of course. There is romance, deception, a fairly unpleasant section with a horrible Charmer who tortures Leena, and reconciliation. I look forward to reading more from this author and can't wait for the next adventure.

Kingdom of Exiles is the first book in The Beast Charmer series. When I read the blurb I was intrigued and I'm happy to say the book didn't disappoint at all. It was unique and funny and once the plot grabbed me I wasn't able to put it down untill I finished it. The start was a bit slow and it took me some time to get sucked into the story but once it did.. Oh boy, what a ride it was. 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. It feels much more natural that way. The plot was really great - every important scene led to another, the fighting scenes were amazing, the magic and mythology were interesting... The book was different, entertaining, and kept my attention. And the characters were well developed and very interesting.
My only complaint is that I didn't really understand why Leena and Noc were atracted to eachother, let alone why (or how) they fell in love. I didn't feel the chemistry between them right up to the end.
But overall I enjoyed the book very much and I'm really looking forward to the next in this series. I really hope it will get even better because I did kind of get attached to the characters and I'm looking forward to reading more about them. This book was really great. I highly recommend it.

I really enjoyed this new series. Lots on offer in the book and really looking forward to more from this author.

tw mentions of abusive relationships/rape

First off, thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for this honest review!

The blurb describes this as Fantastic Beasts meets Assassin's Creed, but truth be told, I know nothing of either of those franchises. If anything, Leena's world reminds me more of Pokemon, albeit like....a dark, sexy version of that world? Trust me, it works a lot better than that sentence makes it sound. I went back and forth on 3-4 stars on this one, and ultimately decided on four - because I genuinely did enjoy this one that much, even if it's not my usual read.

I tend to be in love with the idea of paranormal romance, but I rarely (if ever) actually ENJOY reading them. They're often too dramatic for my taste, or the characters are two dimensional, or worst of all, the 'love' story just reeks of consent issues and weirdness. I say all this not to dissuade anyone from Kingdom of Exiles, but to highlight all the ways it steers clear of those common pitfalls. This is a lush, exciting paranormal romance, and I had a blast reading it.

Fair warning to future readers, there IS an abusive relationship (and near the end, something that seems like a rape parallel to me) but none of that occurs between our MC and her LI. Martineau treats those darker storylines with respect and care, and the end result was intense but cathartic, making me genuinely ache for Leena even in the midst of her swashbuckling adventure.

It helps that Martineau hits so many of my fav things throughout this novel too. Enemies to lovers? Check. Doomed, tragic antiheroes? Check. Interesting, unique worldbuilding? Check. LGBT rep???? Check check check. This is by no means a perfect book (the chemistry between the leads is rushed, the writing isn't exactly subtle, and then there's the tired trope of the gay side char being in tragic/unrequited love with his best friend) but it was such an enjoyable read that I was more than happy to overlook those things.

This is definitely a creative book, and I'd say that for anyone who's looking for some absurd, escapist fantasy with plenty of tension/romance, then this is the book for you. The ending was satisfying enough, but clearly setting things up for a sequel, and the most interesting storyline (for me) has yet to be resolved. I know it may be a long way off, but still, after this one I definitely look forward to seeing what comes next for Leena and Noc!

I ADORED this book and finished it very quickly. I was SNAGGED by the description mentioning Fantastic Beasts but was worried it was going to end up too much like it. I worried for nothing! This book was completely it's own and enthralled me from page one. The world building, creatures and character growth was perfect and I can't wait for more!

What an exciting new world full of beasts, magic and amazing characters! I fell in love with Lenna and Noc, and can’t wait for the next book.

When we meet Leena she comes across as a badass, rather cold woman. She is a Charmer, exiled from her home and she sells beast on the black market to survive. When she is attacked by an assassin from Cruor, she wins and she decides to take him to Cruor to find who put a price on her head.

And there we meet Noc, lead of the Cruor assassins. He makes a deal with Leena to acquire 4 beasts and in return none of his men will kill her. Of course there is a catch - he doesn't include himself - plus there is no way to stop a hit as it would mean for the assassin to die him/herself. And Noc has taken over the job from his friend Kost after Leena bested him.
Both Leena and Noc have ulterior motives. Leena needs a special beast (a Myad) to be able to make her way home and Noc is cursed so everyone he loves dies a slow death. He hopes to find a beast that can help him to counter the curse.
Noc fully intends to kill Leena after procuring the promised 4 beasts and getting rid of his curse.

Noc, Leena and some of his men travel to Ortega Key and during the journey you get to know everyone a lot better and feelings change. Noc fights his feelings for Leena due to his curse (and the fact he has to kill her). In the meantime the people that want Leena dead do not sit still and danger is everywhere. We soon see Leena can be very vulnerable and she has feelings for Noc as well.

The story was a very enjoyable ride. Maxym Martineau has an amazing imagination. I loved so many of the beasts. I looked at her website when book 2 is due, but there is no information at all. I do hope the next book will not have us waiting too long.

Fantastic book filled with edge of your seat adventure! It was fast paced and action packed! I couldn’t put it down!

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

While I don't normally read YA the plot of this book sounded interesting. It had several plot twists and I really enjoyed reading about all the different creatures. This is a really good teen read!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early read!

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

Pretty good read

4.5 stars

Leena is a charmer, she charms magical beasts and and each of the beasts have certain powers that can be called upon when needed. She has been living in exile due to a crime she did not commit. To make ends meet she sells some of her beasts on the black market which is a punishable offense.

She soon discovers there is a bounty on her head, a bounty carried out by a assassin's guild with a 100% completion rate. She tries to make a deal with the head assassin and lucky for her he needs some beasts and since charmers are rare she is just the person to find them. When she does she goes scot free (view spoiler)

The story was engaging. I liked Leena and the love she displayed for her beasts. I also liked that we had Noc's POV, he was also an interesting character. The secondary characters too balanced the whole story out. It seems like a long book but it went by pretty fast.

I am excited I got to discover this author and I can't wait to read book 2. I already have an idea about Noc and I want to see how that plays out.

God, this book! It's so freaking amaziiiiiing! It's been a long time since I've read a YA fantasy book that is as epic as this one. I love the romance, the plot, the beasts, the unlikely friendships, the adventure - I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT IT. I knew right from the start that it's going to be awesome.

I highly recommend it and I definitely can't wait for the second book!

Not the best beginning but still a great book

I would like to thank Maxym M. Martineau, Sourcebooks, Inc., and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

SPOILERS

This book was a fun adventure with high stakes, an intriguing premise, and a fascinating use of magic. It was generally well-written, with multifaceted characters and creativity that knew no bounds.

I can definitely see why they used Fantastic Beasts to pitch it; I was fascinated by the beasts and their unique characteristics and abilities. Some of them were difficult to imagine, but creatures I know from other IPs helped me to picture them. For instance, I imagined the Graveltots were small Graveler Pokemon, and the Myad was an ornamented Bagheera from Disney’s live-action Jungle Book. In my mind, the Gyss were Tinkerbell fairies crossed with Genies from the Spyro 2 Playstation game.

I found other shades of Harry Potter here, but it had nothing to do with the beasts, lore, or society; rather, I saw the Marauders, aka Harry Potter’s father and his friends, in the five prominent characters. Noc was James, Ozias was Remus, Calem was Sirius, and Kost was Peter. Leena, then, was Lily. They weren’t by any means exact matches, I just saw similar elements in their personalities and group dynamic. It helped endear me to them, because Lily and the Marauders are my favorite part of Harry Potter lore.

But unfortunately, the story and characters weren’t set up well.

I had such a hard time getting into the story. Not because it was poorly written prose-wise or uninteresting, but because, I think, it was a bit overwhelming. After getting further into the book, you can make sense of those first few chapters, but when you’re first reading them, you might find it difficult to grasp what’s going on. The first chapter was pretty much all action; all show and no tell. There was very little inner monologue and even less exposition, meaning we’re introduced to the world, the scene, as if we should already have some background knowledge of it, and because I didn’t, most of it just went right over my head.

I understand why Martineau (henceforth dubbed 3M) started out with the matter of the Gyss, foreshadowing and demonstrating what Leena’d been reduced to, but it wasn’t a great way to introduce us to Leena. Later, after we understood her situation, we were able to sympathize with her and the choices she had to make to survive. But as we didn’t know anything about her yet, she merely came off as a cold, callous, and selfish criminal who regularly dealt in the black market, selling off living creatures who loved her and trusted her to take care of them. She also declared she didn’t “do” love to a guy who clearly cared about her and wanted a relationship with her. She kind of lived with him and would use him to get off, never mind that by doing so she was stringing him along and encouraging hopes she didn’t want him to have. We learned she was on the outs with her people, then we watched her ruthlessly use Iky as a weapon, as a means of torture, which did nothing to contradict the impression we’d gotten already. I honestly didn’t like her much through the first several chapters, and that initial dislike cast a shadow over her character for the remainder of the novel, though I did come to appreciate her in some ways.

Noc, Cruor, and the assassins were introduced in a similarly abrupt manner, also as if we should have already known them, particularly with Noc. Watching him inwardly fret over a bloody Kost helped to endear him to us, but not overmuch because at that point all we knew about the assassins was that they made a living by killing without compunction or discrimination. It goes against the grain to sympathize with a character who, in most other stories, would be the villain. (This book is rather subversive in that way.) We watched Noc hurt Leena, toy with her to demonstrate his power and authority, then smoothly lie through his teeth to make a false deal with her, fully intending to betray her and kill her after he’d gotten what he wanted. And we were supposed to consider him a swoon-worthy hero? As with Leena, he gave a bad impression and it cast a shadow over his character even after I decided he was an okay guy.

So because I wasn’t overly fond of either of them, their romance fell flat for me. I didn’t feel the chemistry between them despite solid efforts and skillful writing on 3M’s part.

Side note: She needs to dial back on the hero staring intensely at the heroine for an extended amount of time. It got kinda creepy.

Overall, the poor beginning made connecting to the narrative difficult, but it eventually got better as the characters and beasts grew on me. Once I was able to grasp what was going on and saw that the characters had good in them, I quite enjoyed the story.

This is supposed to be a trilogy, so I would assume we’ll be seeing books 2 and 3 within the next couple of years. 3M doesn’t have any information on her website about the rest of the series (as of writing this review), but since they presumably refer to Leena in the name of the series, I expect we’ll continue in her POV and pick up the threads left dangling at the end of this book: Leena and Noc working out the kinks in their relationship; Leena potentially joining the Council; finding whoever ordered the hit on her and killing them so neither Leena nor Noc has to die; discovering more of Noc’s past life and what that has to do with everything; adjusting Cruor to Noc’s new ways; preventing or fighting the coming war; dealing with the consequences of Calem’s revival; getting both Kost and Oz laid. (Yeah, there was a lot going on, but 3M juggled it all pretty darn well, I think.)

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