The Stolen Kingdom has to be my favourite fantasy read of 2021! The way the Jillian Boehme was able to capture her characters and the world that she created is phenomenal! I was able to be fully immersed in Perin Faye! I cannot wait to read more of Jillians work and I am super excited to purchase multiple copies for everyone I know :)

Full review to come after publication date :)

The Stolen Kingdom by Jillian Boehme is a refreshing standalone fantasy. Maralyth is a vintner's daughter, who has hidden magic that only the king should be able to possess. When she finds out that her magical abilities are proof of being the rightful heir of the throne, she is entangled in a plot to murder the royal family and claim the throne.

This was a fun quick read with action and adventure, and what I loved most about this book is that it was a standalone. The story wrapped up nicely and I enjoyed reading Maralyth and Alec's points of view. This is a great book for anyone who loves a YA fantasy book with forbidden romance and a unique magic system.

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!

A standalone fantasy novel featuring magic, sorcery, kidnapping and espionage. The story is told from the two perspectives of Mara and Alac. An interesting tale

3,5 stars ⭐️

The Stolen Kingdom was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and having the chance to read it sooner was just great. This is an amazing standalone fantasy book that gave me more than what I was expecting and something I really liked was the magic system since it was very intriguing and unique, and i can't say I didn't have a great time while reading this, it was a quick, fun, and enjoyable read.

I definitely recommend this to all the people out there that love a fantasy book with forbidden romance, amazing world-building, a great plot, an unique magic system and so much more, plus this is a standalone, have we seen many good standalone fantasy books out there? they are rare. I am definitely going to be re-reading this once I get myself a finished copy!

oh, and the cover? love it.

The Stolen Kingdom is a solid stand alone fantasy. It is a bit slow at the start but overall is an awesome book!
I loved the aspects of wine making included as they really let you get immersed in the world. It does seem a bit choppy in other parts but the vineyards made up for it. I absolutely loved Maralyth but Alec was kind of boring to me. I just couldn't connect with him though I'm happy with his final decision. This is a fun read that follows the majority of the YA expectations but does it in a way that's still enjoyable. I'm glad the author decided to write a detailed stand alone rather than a stretched out series.

The world and magic system was absolutely incredible. I always love when I can read a standalone and not left wanting there to be more. The characters in this book made me connect with them and want to be there with them. Maralyth and Alac are the narrators of the story and take us along with them on their incredible journey. I will definitely be reading more from this amazing author.

A stand-alone fantasy was an intriguing concept for me and I was really interested to see how it would fare. The world building was as I would expect for a single novel fantasy; not that in-depth. But knowing that I still don’t think it was hard to understand in any way. Overall it was an enjoyable quick read, that emerged me in a fantasy universe without having to wait for a ton of sequels.

Stolen Kingdom is a rare gem in YA fantasy books, because it's a standalone, I really like this story, but I think maybe a duology would work better.

Perin Faye's royal family are the only people who possess magic, but a few decades ago their throne was usurped by the Thungrave family, the magic was stolen and is now controlled by blood magic.

The book has two POV:
Maralyth, she is vintner's daughter and secretly uses her power to help the family vineyard.
Alac is the second heir to the throne, does not agree on how his father uses dark magic to rule.

When the magic of Maralyth is discovered, a plot is formed to return the throne to the rightful heir. Then, the protagonists meet, an immediate attraction occurs (no instalove). But both have secrets that they should not tell, their relationship starts by the hobbies they share; wine.

I like both characters, they are smart, good people, a little sassy and you will have fun with them.

It's a descriptive novel, the magic of Maralyth is fascinating, I liked reading about her learning and mastering her.
Also the descriptions of the wine made me want to have a glass on hand.

The reason why I think a duology would have worked better is because of the extension, I loved the beginning but the last chapters, where the drama happens, I felt a bit rushed, a lot happened in a short time.
Overall, It's a good story, you have everything, magic, court intrigue, cool characters, romance and action.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!
The Stolen Kingdom is a wonderful stand alone fantasy novel- I get so excited when I find these!
Mara is the daughter of a vinter (winemaker). She’s always had a way with the grape vines at home- a magical way, that is. Little does she know that this magic is proof that is the rightful heir to the throne, as opposed to the current king who rules because of blood magic. Soon Mara finds herself in the middle of a coup, and unsure of who she can trust.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the magic, and genuinely rooted for the protagonist. It was definitely fast paced and kept me on my toes! The only thing that kept this from being five stars for me, is that there seemed to be some fast forwarding for character development. It seems to only takes a couple of weeks for Mara to go from cooking for the vineyard hands to having a queenly grace. There was also a double agent who seemed sudden and a bit on the deus ex machina side. That said, I still had a hard time putting it down, and look forward to future books by this author.

This book is well written with a fast paced plot. However the fast pacing sacrifices world building. There is very little background given about this world. It seems to take place in medieval Europe, Norman France would be my guess. If you’re an oenophile then you’ll probably enjoy large portions of this book as Alac has always wanted to study winemaking (bit odd for a prince). I wasn’t a very big fan of the instalove between Alac & Maralyth. Considering she’s trying to overthrow his family it’s rather misplaced. Something that struck me as really odd was that Maralyth seemed to do just fine with court manners and etiquette. Since she grew up in the rural countryside and would’ve spent her whole life out in the vineyard or in the kitchen this just doesn’t make any sense that she would have that kind of knowledge. Overall, I think this book was trying to fit a few too many tropes and details into a book this size, and just delivered short.

Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan-Tor/Forge for this advanced reader copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

3.5 ⭐️
One hundred years of a cursed rule. An unassuming girl. A prince who never wanted to be king. The magic of death and that of the earth. Plus, a lot of wine!

I appreciated having the opportunity to read a standalone fantasy book. There are not a ton out there. For that desire, this does the trick. There is magic and mishap. Love interests and growing into ones own. The tale is a relatively simply story line, it’s sweet but there isn’t a lot of meat to it. I think that is not an uncommon downside to standalone fantasy, since there isn't as much time to build the world. It's a quick read but I was fully satisfied with the ending.

Would recommend for someone looking for a quick standalone fantasy. Better for a younger audience, but anyone who is a fan of YA fantasy will enjoy it.

Thanks netgalley for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

<i>*This book was given to me by NetGalley in return for an honest review*</i>

The Stolen Kingdom was a quick, enjoyable if slightly predictable read. I'm here for forbidden romances and secret magic, you know me. What I hadn't expected was the turn the main characters' relationship would take and how tragic that storyline would be. While I think that that particular storyline was a little heavy for a stand-alone, I really liked how she finished with their romance. Will definitely purchase for the collection.

this is everything people hate about YA
#notlikeothergirls
Maralyth has no personality, alac, tucker, even Nestar have personalities but the main character is blander than a sheet of paper.
Both her and alac comment that the company of women is boring.
she very easily gives into nelgareths plan - ‘oh you've hired people to attack and kidnap me, and are threatening to murder my family if I don't do as you say, no worries this is great!”’
Alac - self-pitying
Insta love
She murdered his family and he still loves her coz she's pretty?! he literally says ‘how can I be angry at her when her hair is so nice’ WTF
Magic inconsistent - why didn't ellian die she wasn't protected, her baby is a bastard so has no right to the throne anyway
Right of the widow - absolutely ridiculous that the court would recognise a fiancé of a dead prince as queen over the actual king
She can bring animals and plants back to life but not people, why?
Overall extremely badly written, full of overdone and tired cliches and conveniences

Well this book was a breath of fresh air! I am usually very skeptical when it comes to fantasy standalones but this one was executed so well!

This book follows our two protagonists Alac and Mara
Mara has a secret that could potentially doom her if anyone ever found out- she possesses unique and forbidden magic that only the king is supposed to have. Unbeknownst to Mara, these magical abilities are proof that she is the rightful heir to the throne. When the rebellion takes hold of her and plans to seize the throne take place, Mara meets Alac the second-born son to the king and a prince who has more to him than meets the eye.
Alac has feared the stolen magic that has destroyed his family. He swears he would never take the throne and luckily he doesn’t need to as second born. Once he meets Mara an instant connection leaves him wanting more. But her secrets could destroy them all.

Things that I loved:
- the unique magic system! Our MC Mara is able to manipulate vines and nature which was so cool! Also her development with her magic was phenomenal I loved seeing her powers expand and watching her confidence grow
- A dual POV!! This book follows both of our MCs (Mara and Alec); Mara is a vineyards daughter with a secret and Alec is the second-born prince who has never wanted the throne, basically a recipe for a forbidden love
- The worldbuilding! I am all about royal intrigue and being in a vineyard and castle was amazing! The descriptions were phenomenal and I could just feel like I was a lady in court
- The pacing!! I thought it was fast paced yet super informative where I didn’t feel like I was missing details! The author is able to keep you guessing with twists and turns along the way while at the same time educating you on the magic system/history
All in all, I enjoyed this book and was immediately hooked from the beginning!
3.5/5 stars from me!
Thank you to netgalley for providing an earc in exchange for an honest review 💛

What an intense ride!
Mara works at her father's vineyard but instead of spending all her time amongst the vines and land, she is often found cooking meals for all the male workers. Definitely not what she longs for in life. However, Mara has a secret. A magic that gives life and helps those grapes in the vineyard grow to their full potential.
Alac is the second born son to the king of the Thungrave line. The king is consumed by a stolen magic that has turned dark. Like Mara, Alac is also under restrictions and his ultimate dream is to learn how to make wine starting with the first steps, working in a vineyard.
Mara is kidnapped by the horrible Nelgareth who explains his plans to put her on the throne as the rightful heir because of her magic. He really is ultimately an evil, despicable character though.
When plans are made and steps are taken, this book turns into a whirlwind of surprises and sometimes, heartfelt moments. Battling magic and evil, not to mention a budding romance, makes this book a good read.

I think this was a pretty average read for me. I liked Mara's chapters, but Alec's were a little boring. Also I feel like the ending wrapped up to nicely. Like everything fell into place instead of having to work for their goal. I was hoping for more romance, but there really wasn't any. I felt like there was a lot of filler in this book at the beginning.

I loved this book! It was such a fun quick read with a lot of action and adventure. The plot kept you guessing towards the end and there was also some romance as well.

Thanks to Macmillan -Tor/Forge and NetGalley for a copy to honestly review.

Thanks to NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.

This book is a standalone fantasy done right. Most authors like to drag their storylines out to be three or four books. This was done well in less than 400 pages!

This story is set in a world where there is magic and focused on a Kingdom. The ruling family has a dark magic that has been passed down, generation to generation, son to son. This magic is supposedly stolen from the rightful family whose magic is good, pure magic. A girl named Mara soon discovers she is one of the last in the line of this rightful family and her magic is the true magic of the realm. The book follows her journey to reclaim the throne and the mishaps, adventures, friendships, and enemies made along the way.

Overall, the book was a quick and good read. I believe that the Mara had it a little too easy for most of the book. Any hardships or battles that came her way were quickly dissipated and handled within a couple of paragraphs. I would have liked to have seen a little bit more struggle for Mara in all that she had to do and what she had to deal with trying to reclaim her stolen throne. I would recommend this book to those that like magic, strong-headed women main characters, and a fight for the throne.

It has been awhile since I"ve read this type of book (YA fantasy) I mostly read romance, but I was drawn to the cover and I really needed a break- and when I really need a break fantasy is my go-to book genre.

I thought this story was brilliant. It drew me in quickly and was a quick read. I enjoyed Maralyth and Alec's story. I like the obstacles they face and I like the story behind the Kingdom's magic.

This is a stand alone fantasy- which for this type of story is a rarity. I can't decide if I"m happy about that or if I wish this had been fleshed out more. I agree with other reviews that we didn't get a good feel for a lot of the secondary characters. And I would have liked to. Very few of the characters behaved like I thought they would- and none were purely good or bad. And I found this very interesting. Also there were several story lines that were very easily resolved- and I do think the tension could have been more with a story line that was allowed to be developed a little more over other books. However, there is a possibility for future books so maybe we will get more at a later date.

In the meantime, this was exactly the escape I wanted. It might not have been "light" reading but it was quick reading- and that was due to simply an interesting storyline and characters you are drawn to and want to root for. This was the first book I've read by this author but I will definitely be looking for future books from her.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this book.

When I started reading this book I was struggling with another high fantasy series that still hasn't gotten my attention at all. I was so happy I started this book. It was a welcoming breath of fresh air.

====== SPOILER FREE ZONE =======
It's a stand alone, so the story advances fairly quick. It switches between the MC points of view. The trope is forbidden (but not) forbidden love, if that makes sense. The magic system is easy to understand and the world building is entwined through the story, major points for this. Also Major points to this book is that it keeps you on your toes at all times. The author clearly has no issues getting rid of characters which adds to the plot twists.
Finally, the intrigue, the teasing, love at first sight, the banter, the cute down to earth handsome prince and the smart sassy young lady....
The book checks all the boxes for a good YA story.
If a parent is reading this, there is no smut. I would let my teen girl read this book.

====== SPOILERS AHEAD =======

Maralyth and Alac spill good chemistry throughout the book. One has good magic, the other is supposed to never inherit the bad magic (stolen kingdom, get it?). You can tell that obviously they will save the kingdom. He was never supposed to be king, and his personality reflects that as being laid back.
The only thing that bothered me a little is how fast Maralyth became refined and ready for court. I just couldn't place it with the timeline.
Alac gives me Cal (from Red Queen) vibes, and to add more to this point, the way the story ends also reminded me of how Red Queen ended.
Don't hate me, this is why:
The main character is young and with a bright future ahead of her and finally he has the freedom he always wanted, SO they leave their relationship as a toss up to the universe. Which I get, is the era we are in, getting rid of "the happily ever after" but I think the ending still works.

Overall I gave it 5 stars because it captured my attention right away. I was always looking forward for more and, did I mentioned there is lots of wine? I might have finished a couple of bottles while reading it.

Give it a try!

I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley, and I am very happy I did. I'll look forward to more work from Jillian Boehme