Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Stand-alone fantasy novels are few and far between, so whenever I find one I like to hold onto to it and hope for the best. The Stolen Kingdom did not disappoint at all, in fact I found myself wanting more—maybe not another full length novel, but an epilogue or maybe a short story post ending.

The magic system in this book was extremely well developed and one that stands out to me from other magic systems that I’ve read about. Usually, magic systems take the entire series to fully develop, but the author developed this one in this book in a way that didn’t feel like a pile of information thrusted upon the reader.

Mara and Alac’s dynamic was also an enjoyable part for me in this book, the dynamic of all the characters were. There wasn’t a moment where one character felt out of place or their interactions felt unnatural. Not to mention the romance that develops within this story; if there was anything that I wanted to know more about, it was the state of this romance after the end of the book.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable fantasy perfect for an introduction to the genre or for someone who wants to read a fantasy but doesn’t want to deal with the weight of a five or more book series. Or someone that likes wine, there was a lot of that in this too.

RTC..

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan/Tor for granting me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love reading standalone fantasies and I so glad I found this one because sometimes not all of them are good and well done.
This book had everything: a forbidden romance that turned out to be enemies to lovers; the well-introduced magic system, even if the author did not add depth to the magic; secret bloodlines and betrayals, and so much more.
From both MCs, my favorite was Maralyth. Having had her life changed in a few days, she handled it well and was not an annoying mc that doesn't want to change the kingdom for the better, and all she wants is to go home. No, she grabs her chance to make her word a better place and doesn't let go, even when a handsome prince cats her eye. Said prince, Alac, was an okay character. During most of the book, I saw him as a spoiled child that complained a lot without having the courage to change anything. I am glad he changed and I could enjoy his character, especially toward the end when feelings were acknowledged. The romance was present but it was not the main plot, I would say it was 65% fantasy and 35% romance.
Regarding the plot, the book was so well-thought and strategized, and no holes were left and with each page read, I just wanted to read more so I could find out what was going to happen next. It was addictive, with a well-developed plot and characters mixed with lies and love, and I wish I could have more.

I read the book and listened to it on audio at the same time and I so glad I did because I read it so much faster, Both narrators could not have voiced Maralyth and Alac better, especially the narrator for Maralyth, her voice was exactly the one I imagine the Mara to have. The only complaint I have of the audio is the when I added speed to it, the sound was duplicated so there was an eco while listening to it, but overall, it was perfect.

Free the Magic, Free the Kingdom
The land of Perin Faye was once prosperous and idyllic, under the reign on the magic- wielding Dallowyn kings. As one would expect, eventually jealous stirred in the hearts of men over the Dallowyn family’s exclusive claim to magic, and therefore to the throne. Through treachery, some of the magic was stolen by the Thungraves, who then began to rule Perin Faye with an iron fist, exacting heavy tithes, and leaving most outside the palace walls and lord’s manors, to barely scrape Image result for earth magic gifby. If we see magic as simply a source of power, The Stolen Kingdom gives credence to the old saying, absolute power corrupts absolutely; as the Thungrave heirs successively find out as they claim their stolen birthright of magic, and it places its heavy yoke of power upon their hearts. Alac Thungrave is the first of his family to be suspicious of the magic, and its hold over the Thungrave kings. He begins to wonder if his family could be better rulers without the rot of the magic upon their souls. At the same time, Maralyth Graylaern is embarking on a quest to regain the throne, and restore the Dallowyn line. There’s just one problem: she can’t bear the thought of Alac being killed alongside his father and brother, to pave the way for her own ascendency.

The Stolen Kingdom explores the themes of political corruption, and the dark side of men, through the lens of stolen magic. Ultimately, readers see that the hallmark of a great ruler is that they must care more for their people than they do for themselves, and more for the land then they do for their own See the source economic gain. The arc of the relationship between Alac and Marylyth is done with skill, never seeming unlikely or overly sappy. They are two strong characters, with stubborn streaks, who find common ground in caring for their people and country, while also being unable to ignore the spark of passion and soul recognition that exists between them. Overall the book is well paced, and well detailed, with a few plot twists meant to keep readers guessing about who will survive and under what conditions that survival will be, until almost the very end. While there are a few bloody scenes, the violence is kept at a minimum, focusing more on political pressures than warfare. And while some sections seemed to stretch out for a few too many pages, it is still an entertaining and fast read. YA Fantasy lovers will find plenty to be enamored with in this book.

Fantasy is my favorite genre. YA Fantasy is my obsession and this book is one more reason why.

I like the family drama that brings Maralyth to her decision to do something she never would have chose to do before. She chooses to save her family by any means necessary, even if that means killing the royal family and taking the throne as the kingdom's new queen.

There is a Beauty and the Beast vibe happening here and I'm loving it. I also love the magic, both the beauty of it and the dangerous darkness of it.

All three of my favorite romantic tropes are present here: enemies-to-lovers, forbidden love, slow-burn romance. This is one aspect of the story that is never really wrapped up at the end. It could still go either way but it is a satisfying ending nonetheless.

I love Maralyth's character. She is one of those no-holds-barred heroines but she never loses her humanity. She loves her family, as well as her people, and has a gentle nature but she will bring the badass out when needed. Buy the end of the book she has grown and matured so much that we forget she is only 16.

The story is well-written and is one of those that will keep you engrossed until the last page. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

I gave it 5 stars and highly recommend it to any fan of YA Fantasy.

The Stolen Kingdom by Jillian Boehme sweeps its readers away in a tale of magic, murder, and the quest to heal the land.

When Maralyth learns she's the rightful heir to a long lost throne, she is less than thrilled to give up her old life for it, but she is given no choice when her family is threatened. Reluctantly she assumes the mantle of a lord's daughter to infiltrate the palace and assume the throne once the current ruling family is killed. This doesn't sit right with Maralyth and it's rare that the consequences of a coup are explored within YA. Boehme constantly reminds her readers of the bloodshed that comes with this sort of transition, even if it is to install a better government.

As a whole, Boehme's cast of characters captured my imagination. Maralyth was fun, her strong moral compass and doubts over the coup built up her character throughout her story, while her interactions with others were enjoyable. Alac was also a fun counterpart, he's dynamic and his relationship with his family's magic is at the centre of his character arc. However, few secondary characters stood out. The antagonists are quickly taken care of as they arise, Alac's personal guard revolved entirely around the prince making him rather flat, while the rebelling lord was predictable and taken care of all too easily.

I enjoyed the, it was well paced and dynamic. At no point did I feel it drag, and I was happily surprised by how well the ending wrapped everything up, without coming off as cheesy. Boehme's strength here is her characters, and their inner conflicts drive the book, so it's delightful that they play so well off the action.

Overall I enjoyed A Stolen Kingdom. This character driven fantasy was neatly packaged in a single book without leaving me wanting.

A century ago, an untamed magical power had appeared. It was said to be so powerful that it destroyed and withered everything in its path. The Thungraves, with the help of a ritual, took control of this power along with the land of Perin Faye. The Thungraves were greedy power-hungry kings who wanted to control everything. In their hand, the magic that was supposed to be good and nurturing became dark and ravaging. It filled the bearer with the darkness it carried and changed them completely.
Maralyth, our female protagonist is a Dallowyn. The Dallowyns were the rulers of Perin Faye before it was taken by the Thungraves. They were also the original wielders of this magic before the Thungraves took it, thus the name of the book The Stolen Kingdom. Mara also possessed this magic, but her mother always forbade her to use it. However, she did use it often to help her family’s vineyard prosper.
Lord Nelgareth, the ruler of a lord land of Delthe, had her kidnapped and brought to him. Through Nelgreth, she finds about her heritage and that she is the rightful heir to the throne of Perin Faye. Nelgareth planned a coup to bring down the Thungraves and to put Mara on the throne. To help her family she agrees to join Nelgareth.
At first glace Mara seems to be bit naïve because undoubtedly Nelgareth had ulterior motives about his plan to take over which she didn’t really think about at first. So, when she did, I was like thank you, finally! Later though, she is shown to be brave, loyal and endearing. Her resolve to help others and bring about positive changes in the kingdom is admirable.
Alac, the male protagonist, is the second son of Selmar Thungrave II ruler of Perin Faye. He is shown to be quite simple. Being the second son, he is oppressed by both his father and elder brother Cannon because he is the youngest and therefore will not be king. During a red wedding (GOT) like massacre, orchestrated by Nelgareth, his father and brother are killed, and he becomes king.
Upon the death of the king the stolen magic is on the loose, wreaking havoc all over the kingdom, until Alac performs the ritual to take the magic for himself. He, of course didn’t because he despised it. He set out to look for Mara, who had fled the scene to find shelter.
Mara and Alac’s romance was cute but it lacked chemistry. In some places it just felt flat, like they were not connecting, I just couldn’t sense the feelings I wanted them to exhibit. Granted the Prince and the queen who’s come to take over make a really good romance trope but this one was just was not there. I just couldn’t feel the “oh come on just kiss already!” feeling.
The book was fast paced but I still took my time with it. The plot was interesting and enjoyable. The book was filled with plot twists. I kind of predicted one or two of them but the rest I didn’t even see coming, they were really good. However, when the plot took the driver seat the world building was pushed into the back seat. The world here is not that well described. There was political unrest between the kingdoms, but I just couldn’t make out the strain in between them. Then up until chapter 12, there was repetition of the history of the kingdoms, like the Dallowyn were tricked and betrayed by the Thungraves. That was constantly repeated, that’s why I skimmed through some of the chapters. Moreover, the mention of their Holy Gods was also minimal. From what I’ve read one of the preachers played an important role in the book, to pass messages to and from the kingdom. They were helping the Dallowyn supporters, so there should have been more description about them.
Overall, it is a good read. It is middle grade. The pre-teens and early teens would enjoy it. I did like it yet, in the end, it just left me wanting more.

The Stolen Kingdom by Jillian Boehme
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This book followed two people in a Kingdom of magic. One was Prince Alac who is royalty and enjoys every pleasure but hates the cost of his fathers dark magic. The other is Maralyth, the daughter of a vinter. She loves the vineyards but hates that her family can barely keep themselves fed due to the heavy taxes on them.
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I really enjoyed this standalone. The story was great, it takes place over a couple weeks period of time so it has a good speed to it. I felt like Maralyth was a well written character who was reasonable and really cared about people. I was rooting for her the whole time. And Alac gave us great insights into the castle and his family.
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I enjoyed how the history of the kingdom was weaved into the story, it felt natural and not like info dumps of background. I loved it. I enjoyed learning about it and could immediately understand that things needed to change.
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The only complaint I have is I wished I knew what the characters did after the resolution. I wasn’t ready to leave then, I enjoyed reading about them so much! But I did love where we left Mara and Alac at the end. They are so cute together 🥰
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I gave this book 4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ this book is available today so go check it out!

Read if you like: a dark YA fantasy, strong female character, fun world-building.
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The story revolves around Maralyth, who believes she is just a vintner's daughter, but she has special magical powers, and because of this, she gets swept up into a plot to overthrow the monarchy and get rid of a corrupt king.
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I really liked the world-building and the magical elements of the story. I liked that magic was not common but marked you as being part of a specific group of people meant to rule, which I thought was cool. I also liked how dark the magic was.
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Maralyth was cool and interesting, but I also really liked the character of Alac. He wants what is best for the kingdom and doesn't want to play the royal games.
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Overall this was a fast-paced and engaging book.

I couldn't really get interested in the story, it felt like it had been done before or I've read a book like it.
Did not finish unfortunately, not badly written or anything, just not my thing

This was a true surprise of a book. An interesting fantasy novel involving two types of magic, a fight for the throne and, unexpectedly, winemaking. I liked the two main characters, even though both seemingly powerless and at the mercy of others, they somehow do their own thing and find their way to each other. I found this book engrossing and refreshing. Highly recommend.

3/5
spoiler free!
I had so many different judgements of this book while reading that it was difficult to rate. Overall, this is a whimsical fantasy standalone that hits on all of the usual tropes and themes, but with a slightly different flavor. My biggest struggle with this was getting through it, and it took a lot of pauses. First person with a lot of fantasy world building, names unique to the book, and words as well, made it very wordy and slow going in the first half, despite the rest of the book feeling fast paced. However, I did really appreciate the atmosphere of that this amount of detail created, once I got past the initial set up. The author definitely succeeds in painting a magical landscape for this story.

Great book! I loved the enemies to lovers trope, and the book was well executed. Can't wait to read more from this author :)

The Stolen kingdom is an exotic, stand alone, YA fantasy romance.

I found the pacing to be a little inconsistent, some parts were exciting and eye opening, others were slow and uninspiring. I enjoyed the characters, but didn't love them. The world was beautiful, the world-building incredible. Overall, The Stolen Kingdom was an enjoyable read, but not outstanding.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars out of 5

The Stolen Kingdom is a dual point of view, stand alone, young adult fantasy. That is something I would love to see more of being published. It follows Mara and Alac, both of whom want better for their kingdom, Mara is the daughter of a vineyard owner and has hidden magic powers that she's sworn to her late mother that she would hide. Alac is the second son of the current king, who is sitting on a throne that was stolen a century ago, as was the dark magic that has consumed his father since he became the king. Our main characters meet after Mara invades the royal society while under cover as a noble herself.

I love a good "hidden royal" plot line and it's even better with some political and court intrigue added. I also loved the romance we got in this book. The slow burn and all of their interactions full of banter were wonderful. I was loving the entire plot up until we go to the bug moment we were waiting for a little over halfway through, and then the story started to fizzle out for me, I was still a big fan of both of the main characters, but the action really slowed down up until the big ending sequence, which then felt too rushed. I think that tends to be a problem for me in most stand alone books since I've gotten used to how through a series can be. The author's writing was great, I'm so surprised how few books she's written so far since I would've believed this was her tenth book at least.

I would recommend this to anyone else who is also always on the hunt for a good stand alone fantasy book!

It's nice to run across an occasional standalone book. As much as I love a good series, sometimes its nice not to get so invested. This book had a little bit of everything we usually want in a fantasy - magic, love, romance, betrayal. A little slow in parts, but overall enjoyable.
Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I enjoyed The Stolen Kingdom for its characters and the adventure they took me on. Maralyth Graylaern is the daugther of the most prominent wine maker in the kingdom of Perin Faye, and she has always dreamed of taking over her father's vineyard one day. But her connection to wine is more than passion - she has a magical power that helps in taking care of the vineyard. It's also more significant than she could have ever guessed because that magical power indicates she's the true heir to the throne of Perin Faye. When rebels who oppose the current ruling family discover Maralyth's power, she becomes the unwilling centerpiece of their revolution. Alac Thungrave is the second son of the king of Perin Faye and wants nothing to do with ruling the kingdom or the dark and dangerous magic his family has possessed ever since his ancestor stole the throne. Maralyth's and Alac's paths collide at the center of the political games being played, which creates an entertaining fantasy story for the reader, with a potential romance tied in too. I would recommend The Stolen Kingdom for fans of the Falling Kingdoms series by Morgan Rhodes and the Furyborn trilogy by Claire Legrand who want a quick and light standalone fantasy.

Buy, Borrow, or Bypass: After reading this advanced copy, I think I'm content with having read The Stolen Kingdom just once, so I'm going to suggest you borrow this one. If you fall in love with the story utterly and completely, then it's going to be a great addition to the YA collection on your shelves. If the summary and my review has not enticed you to read the story, I'm guessing YA fantasy might not be your favorite and you can bypass this one. But it's definitely worth a read if you are a YA fantasy reader like me.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The only good thing about The Stolen Kingdom is its gorgeous cover. That's it.

I really tried to like this book. I even finished it even though I was tempted, multiple times, to DNF it. I hoped it'd get better but no, it was still flat and boring.

Both POVs, Maralyth and Alac's, weren't remarkable and that's why it's hard for me to get invested in them and their story. There weren't much difference between the two POVs and the character development was weak. Both of them were so naive and their choices were, to put it simply, stupid.

The blurb promised court intrigue but where? I couldn't find it. All of their plans were so simple it hurts. There's also little to no worldbuilding and it's so disappointing. The background characters also did not stand out in any way; they're really, really flat. So yes, I did not care about any character in this book because they're just... so dull.

Second, the 'romance'. Oh God it's another case of instalove and if I knew about it, I wouldn't read this book. There was no development and they just fall in love at first sight. It's so weird seeing how Alac, the supposedly smart prince, trusted Maralyth whom he just known for a few days with a bunch of his deeply personal opinions and feelings about his family and it just doesn't make sense at all. She's literally a stranger. Why would you lay your cards on the table so quickly?

To sum it up, The Stolen Kingdom is a very disappointing read that is way too simple to be a fantasy book released in the year of our Lord 2021, even if it's targeted for young adults. Perhaps I've outgrown YA books... or at least I've outgrown the ones about mysterious girls who turns out to be the lost heir of a magical kingdom.

A standalone fantasy novel feels like a real unicorn in today’s market, so I was very excited to be able to read something without having to commit to three (five, seven…) books.

“If you’re planning treachery against our king, I want no part of it,” I said.
“You’re already part of it,” Nelgareth said. “Heirs to thrones don’t have the luxury of saying no.”


Mara has a connection to growing things, a magic her mother made her promise to hide from everyone, even her own family. She loves the family vineyard and winery, but it’s her brother who’s set to inherit it all. Instead of working out in the fields, Mara’s stuck cooking for the fieldhands. Alac is trapped in his own way, if a bit more comfortably. As the second son to the king, he’s viewed as mostly useless, at least until his father insists on inducting him into the blood magic that helps their family keep the throne. Alac knows the truth, though – the magic is corrupted because it was stolen from the rightful rulers. When a noble figures out that Mara has the magic – the deposed monarch’s magic – she’s manipulated into being the figurehead for a coup. But while no one can deny that the king is evil and slowly destroying the kingdom, the king’s sons, especially Alac, are a different story. As she attends the wedding festivities for the king’s heir, she grows closer to Alac and starts to realize that things aren’t as clear cut as the rebels want her to believe.

“Were I braver or more selfless—or if I lusted after the magic the way Cannon had seemed to—the choice would have been easy. But receiving the stolen magic and allowing it to possess me for the rest of my life was something I’d never wanted.”


I found both Mara and Alac to be very likeable, but I had problems connecting with them. While they were definitely everything you want in protagonists – brave and moral but gently imperfect – they felt a bit superficial and one-dimensional. Since it is a standalone, there’s a lot that happens in the book, from setting up the background to the political machinations of the coup to the romance to… well, you get the idea. There’s not a lot of time to get to know the characters, especially with the POV split between Alac and Mara, and then even less for the romance to develop. Both characters do admit that they’re in the early stages of a relationship and certainly need to get to know each other better, which did make up for the speed and that’s something that I appreciate seeing in YA romance. It’s an enjoyably fast read, though, with quick pacing, and a generally interesting if predictable plot.

As for cons, there were some religious undertones to the book. Magic was a gift given by God to the original ruling family, and when it’s stolen it’s corrupted, turning from something that heals and grows to something that ages and hurts. It’s not really explored much more than that, though, and I would’ve liked more about it, though I suspect that would’ve put this more firmly in the Christian fantasy genre. To be honest, I wanted more of Mara’s magic and more of the winery, though I found it a little too pat that Alac was so interested in vineyards himself. I also found it unrealistic that Mara would be able to rule the kingdom well when she didn’t even have the experience of running her own family’s vineyard.

Overall, I think this would be a great book for younger YA readers, considering the sweet romance and general inoffensiveness of the content.

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Stolen Kingdom by Jillian Boehme

I want to thank Netgally for allowing me to get a copy of this lovely book before it was released! The cover is BEAUTIFUL, and the description had me really excited to get approved for it!

The Stolen Kingdom is a perfect blend of a love story, a strong female lead, a story of stolen magic and that our past ghost will always haunt us. Maralyth would love nothing more than to take over her fathers vineyard but when she finds herself kidnapped and told of her true bloodline, everything changes. Maralyth knows that the current rule over their kingdom has caused nothing but suffering and death and thinks that she might be able to change that with her magic. She has all intentions of taking the crown by killing the king and his two sons, but when she meets Alac, a Thungrave prince, she knows that that plan can not work. Maralyth and Alac go from friends to enemies quicker than she ever thought and soon her life is in shambles. She must do everything she can to protect the people of her kingdom, even if that means sacrificing herself.

I adored this book. I would definitely categorize it as young adult simply because it doesn’t go deep into the relationship or any gore. I really enjoyed the friends to enemies to lover’s trope in this. I loved all the magic and the back story that the author provided to allow the reader to understand why things are happening they way they are. This story was full of so many lovely things that it is hard to pinpoint what I loved because I loved the entire book.

I feel like the author could have had the main characters show their love for each other a little more deeply and still been in that “young adult” category. I can see why she didn’t and I am hopeful that there will be a second book that will give us more of Maralyth and Alac’s love story. I would also love to see how she rules the kingdom and if their solution to everything did indeed work. I have read some other young adult books that go in a little deeper and have more danger to them, which I think this book could have done if she wanted to. However, I do think it was a good balance that kept me on my toes.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book and I already have to some friends. I really hope there is a second book and I get to hear more of the love story and see Maralyth grow into her new position.