The Lairs Crown by Abigail Owen (Book 1)
The book is based on the concept of one twin as the heir to the crown……and a spare!

Two Queen to rule a nation ones always kept a secret. What happens when this Queen is kidnapped

I have absolutely adore reading this book. A fantastic story with betrayal, court lies, some romance, and more is The Liar's Crown.
I really enjoyed Meren, the main character; it's amazing to witness how her magical abilities and personality changed from when she could only create glass balls to when she could create full-fledged glass walls, portals, shards, and so much more!
Her sister is slated to succeed to the kingdom after their grandma passes away. Of course, there will be danger at the coronation, so Meren is set up to keep her sister safe. Reven steals her away to keep her from falling into Eiolodon's hands, an enemy of the throne.

Reven wasn't exactly sure what awaited him. Meren is clever, sassy, and not at all what he anticipated. They have the best banter. Reven is the ideal tormented love interest—slightly risky yet attempting to do the right thing. For him as well, things are not always as they seem, and some days he can hardly keep it together. If handled well, morally grey love interests may be thrilling, and Reven is just as moody and dark as that.

#NetGalley #arcreader

Meren and Reven - loved it! Their barbs, refusal to backdown and yet their undeniable attraction. Very well done. I loved their relationship.
Also the supporting cast - very well written. A hero saving those who call out for help. A secret retreat providing safety.
The use of magic - especially shadows added some serious creepiness.
A quick and engaging read.

Well, I can definitely tell you that the ending… IT WAS SO UNEXPECTED!
The Liar’s Crown is a good read with betrayal, court lies, some romance and more! The book is fast paced and the chapters were short which in some ways it makes it easier to read - but at the same time, I fine it quite annoying that the chapters are so short.
I really liked the main character, Meren - you can really see how her character developed magically and in terms of her characteristics where once she could only form glass balls, now she can form full on glass walls and portals and shards and so much more!
Reven was also a good character to explore and you could really see the difference between him and his shadows.
I liked the ending but at the same time I felt like there could have been more… that it could have ended in a better way, especially with Tabra because she was no longer under the kings control. Either way, the ending was interesting!
I. Really need another book after this.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me free access to the digital advanced copy of this book.

Young adult fantasy can be very hit or miss for me so I started The Liar's Crown with a little trepidation. As it turns out, I had nothing to be hesitant about. Classic tropes, magic, a little romance with a little spice, and a well-built fantasy world made this one a fun read.

Meren is an interesting protagonist. Since birth, she's been trained to be a copy of her sister, the real princess. She's had all the training to talk like her, act like her, and take her place should danger arise. It's kinda a bum deal, but Meren takes it very seriously. She doesn't whine about her station or her sister for that matter. It's just the way things are. When their grandmother dies, her sister is set to take the throne. Of course, danger may be present at the coronation, so Meren is put in place to keep her sister, and the real queen to be, safe. Before any of that can occur, Meren is stolen away by Reven to supposedly protect her from getting in the clutches of Eiolodon, a tyrant and enemy of the crown.

Reven didn't quite know what he was in store for. Meren is witty, full of sass, and not at all what he was expecting the meek princess to be. Their banter is perfect and what an adventure they have set themselves on the road for! Reven's the perfect tortured love interest, a little dangerous, but trying to do the right thing. All's not what it seems for him as well, and some days he's barely holding it together. Moral gray love interests can be exciting if done right and Reven is as broody and dark as they come.

While Owen didn't do anything to reinvent the YA fantasy genre, the world-building is top-notch and the magical elements were distinctive. You can easily engross yourself in the story without getting distracted by things that just don't make sense. The characters were entertaining, apart and together, and gave just enough steam without completely losing the adventure of things. The Liar's Crown is a solid, young adult fantasy that I'd recommend for fans of the genre.

What a good start to a trilogy! This book had really lush world building and I enjoyed meeting the characters. I think Owen did a really good job of fleshing out side characters in a way that means I’ll be interested and invested in their story going forward.

I did think the book lost steam in the middle - from approximately 40-75% of the book I was just waiting on the characters to catch up to where I was waiting with the plot. I also really wanted to see more interaction between the princesses - I wanted to care for her sister in a way I never really got to.

Unfortunately, I could not get through this book. It had all the elements of a great fantasy novel, but it ultimately fell flat in pace and characters. DNF at 41%

I really enjoyed this one. The twin used as a stand in/ploy for the main royal is one that’s used often, but Owen put some very fresh spins on it. The magic was new and interesting, and I loved the love interest. And the tie between him and the king was super interesting and new. I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to read the sequel.

A wonderful magical fantasy book.

I love this book and look forward for the second book.

The Charakters are very unique and special for me.

I fly through the pages.

I am obsessed with Abigail Owen. I need more and have been chasing the feeling of reading this book since i finished it. I am ready for more.

This seemed too similar to another YA novel, I just couldn't get into it despite the similarities to another YA book.

Dang these books are so good! Why don't I see this book on booksta? I mean twin heirs and one is a decoy for the Queen she is kidnapped. The dark handsome stranger thinks she is the Queen when she is just the one sent into danger, so good job twin you are doing your job. But this guy is a very complex character who seems like he could easily be a villain because of how he became him but he's out there trying to be heard for this area and the people he protects. But dang he is scary and there are some crazy animals in that forest.
There's secrets, hidden powers, major attraction, shadows and so much more.

Thank you entangledpub and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

Loved this book! Wonderful world building and lovely descriptions. Most of the book is pretty fast pace and action packed! The political intrigue wasn’t as developed as it could have been but I can’t wait to read the next one! 😍😍

A stunning fantasy filled to the brim with secrets and romantic tension. I loved it. The world is so cool, and the characters are written brilliantly, can't wait to read the sequel.

One word: Reven <3

I am in love with this book, and I have already started book two. I am so excited to see where it goes, hopefully there is more spice. I love the characters so much and this is so interesting.

I am late to this book, but I really loved the adaptation of the Grimm tale and Meren, as a character, grew on me. I loved her interactions with Reven, sarcasm is my love communication style so when I read good sarcasm, I do a giddy little dance. Looking forward to the rest of the series.

Highly recommend!! Reminds me of Ember of Night by Molly E. Lee combined with a touch of An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir.

4 out of 5 stars over all, this is upper YA, so 1.5 out of 5 for on page consensual sex with some detail that is more than fade to black.

I had no idea what to expect when I began The Stolen Throne but was soon transported into a magical kingdom with life-like characters I quickly fell in love with. The premise of this book is original. A fresh idea, full of characters and quests that give a new spin on Fantasy. Meren, the main character in this book, is a second-born twin, she's the stand-in for her sister the princess. Content with her role, she's determined to protect her sister at all costs, even if it means being stolen away by a neighboring country. Which leads to Meren actually discovering a bit more about herself. The twist and turns in this story were unexpected, taking me on a wild adventure I couldn't put down.

*There are a few triggers, so read the warnings before buying.* As soon as I see this author has a new book, I’m there. The cover is gorgeous (I’m thinking I might need a paperback for my shelves) 😉 This author knows how to write paranormal romance (please look at her Inferno Rising/Fire’s Edge series) Balancing the plot and romance is always tricky. Writing for a YA (Young Adult) audience when a lot of your books aren’t YA takes skill. So enough about the author, let’s get down to the book….. Meren is a twin (the younger one) and as tradition states her life is to be in the shadows, she’s there to protect her sibling (if danger arises Meren is expected to sacrifice herself!) so her confidence in herself is nonexistent, she chafes at her role in life, but there isn’t anything she can do about it…. But Meren does escape the Ivory tower she’s locked away in (to Meren it’s more like a dungeon.) She wanders the streets at night whilst wearing different disguises. Plot is skilfully layered with twists/turns and OMG moments…. As you read the book, things become clearer and a few things make sense. The descriptions in this book place you right in the moment, you can smell the streets that Meren visits, you can see the grandeur of the palace, and you witness King Eidolon’s sickness/madness. King Eidolon is after Meren’s sister Tabra, so she does the job she was born to do, she stands in her place, and becomes King Eidolon’s bride! (I wouldn’t trust this guy an inch) But before the wedding takes place, Meren is kidnapped!! Reven is a complex character, essentially good, but his secret makes him reluctant to be actually good?! His character has plenty of conflicting emotions and motivations. And he certainly gets more than he bargained for when he kidnaps the wrong princess!! And then we have Cain 🤔 and in the world’s I read why can’t she have both 😉? The characters have a hard time trusting one another as they travel through this story. Kidnappers are usually nice people, so when does the kidnapper become protector? (You’ll need to read the book😉) Can Meren save her sister from the clutches of Eidolon? Can she figure out what Eidolon really wants? Can she be the hero in this story? And can I get the next book please. I wouldn’t say it’s a cliffhanger ending, but it does leave us and the characters wondering where this will take us next….. Enemies to lovers ✔️ Kidnapping ✔️ Magic ✔️ Adventure ✔️ Secrets ✔️ 🦋

Rating: 4.5/5
A second born that is hidden away and the only purpose they have is to be, the other twins stand in when there is a dangerous situation. Oh yeah, and that second born is a princess so when they’re doing their duty, that makes them pretend to be the queen.

This was the first Abigail Owen that I have read, and I really enjoyed it. It’s a fantasy, with romance, drama, action, finding oneself and so much more.

The author did an amazing job with worldbuilding. It was woven throughout the whole book with vivid details about the setting to the plot, the characters to the flow of the book.

All the characters in this book are now on my list of my favorite characters. I loved Meren so much, she is so sassy and fierce. I enjoyed seeing an FMC that was not scared all the time but had her own doubts about topics, she wasn’t afraid to find out the truth about everything and I loved that when she was nervous, she would ramble on and on. I know that I do that, so it was easy to connect with her. I loved her dreams of people, her own person but at the same time knowing her duty to the life she was born to.

Raven, he is one sexy kidnapper, and I wouldn’t mind if he wanted to kidnap me with his shadows. I enjoyed the banter between these characters a lot and I never once felt like it was forced to be “love”. It was just a slow burn and great chemistry between them and a great “YES!” moment when it finally happens.

The book does end with a small cliffhanger, but the way it was done, I didn’t get the feeling omg how could you do that to us. It was wrapped up nicely enough, but also not enough and left you wanting the next one right away.

If you love trope enemies to lovers, paranormal romance, fantasy, great characters, great flow/pace, interesting magic system I highly recommend this book

I want to Thank NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to review this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Teen for this ACR and this book wasn’t the story I thought it was going to be. So in this world, every other generation, there are set of twin queens that are born. The second twin is always kind of used as the spare heir and is basically raised for if the queen ever asked to do something dangerous, the twin can be in her place. As you can guess that’s not the life that this twin wants, but on her coronation day, she gets taken. But the wrong twin gets taken. The spare twin gets taken. And then basically, the story becomes the quotation marks bad guy bringing her into this world and just things ensue. I expected the story to be more about the twins and their relationship and I thought the adventure it happened within the castle not outside of it. This book was a bit slow for me about in the first task, but it was intriguing enough to where I wanted to keep reading it. And when stuff hits the fan stuff, hits the fan and the story gets so engaging and I’m so invested in it and I read it within two days. I am very happy that I have the ark for the next book so I can just jump right into that.