The characters and plot were interesting but could be fleshed out more. The vernacular used doesn't really match that time period and there were weirdly timed reveals. Wasn't super sold on the connection between H and h. Still an enjoyable read and will continue to see how the story nets out.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me an arc!

The Liar's Crown was a delightful NA fantasy tale. The premise was interesting and nicely executed and Meren was an engaging heroine. I wasn't sure what to think about Reven at first, but he soon grew on me. Their romance perhaps felt a little fast, but I was willing to buy into it and enjoyed the steamier moments between them. Actually, Reven was probably the most intriguing character in the book. There was originality to his backstory amid the standard NA fantasy tropes and I turned the last page still eager to read more and find out what would happen next. Eidolon was a bit of a vague villain in this first book, but he only appeared in person towards the end, so I hope we will get to know him better and understand his motivations more in book two. Overall, though, this is a solid start to a new NA fantasy series and I would absolutely pick up the second book when it comes out. This first volume gets 4.5 stars from me, which I will round up to a five.

(As per your preference, I am holding my review until closer to release date. It will go live on my blog on 9 August, at which point I will also share on Goodreads and social media.)

Meren is a twin and was born to be a secret backup Princess in a desert kingdom. Every few generations an immortal king from another kingdom comes to steal a queen, but he never steals the secret backup. Even though it must be obvious when the queen is still there even though he’s taken her. It’s Meren’s sisters time to rule and Meren’s time to be backup, but while preforming backup duties she’s kidnapped by a shadowy figure that needs her help! But he’s kidnapped the wrong princess! The lies start to unravel while kingdoms are trying to be saved.

I really liked the authors writing style. It flowed really well and I had no trouble keeping up with the story. I like the concept, though I find it hard to believe they’ve been doing this backup princess thing for generations and no one knew. The Shadowraith is an even cooler concept. I didn’t see if anything said there would be more books but I’d definitely be interested in seeing more about him and more world building in general. The narrator (Meren) has supposedly be trained to be queen so she can be her sister’s replacement if she needs to be but she never fully explains what each magic type is and what they can do. A chart or graph in the front of the book would be super helpful. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and will definitely recommend it.

It was love at first sight. When I first laid eyes on The Liar's Crown months ago a connection was formed. The premise sounded great and the cover is beautiful. I couldn't stop thinking about it so I was super excited to be approved on Netgalley. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read.

Twin princesses. One born to take the throne, the other to hide in the shadows until needed. Meren has lived her life in service to her sister and the royal family. When their grandmother the queen dies her sister, Tabra, is set to be crowned.. An evil king has his own plans to wed Tabra. Before Meren can intervene a mysterious shadow kidnaps her. Lives and kingdoms are at stake. Will Meren be able to stop the king in time?

Did The Liar's Crown live up to the hype in my mind? Yesssss! It was more than I could have hoped for. As soon as I started reading the prologue I knew I was going to like it. It was a very effective prologue. The world is so full of detail. The writing perfectly sets everything in its place. There are no empty backgrounds or shallow feeling here. A lot happens in the book in a relatively short period of time so it truly feels like an adventure.

There are some amazing magic scenes, pretty and deadly. The world or kingdoms are beautiful and varied. There are portals, monster filled oceans, and creatures you don't normally find in a forest.

The characters are great and even if some had a small part I felt like I got to know them. Meren is not a typical princess. She can and will take care of herself. And just wait until you meet Reven. Wow is a great description for him. Wow is also a great description for The Liar's Crown. I LOVED it!

OMGGGGG! I can’t tell you how excited I was to have received an ARC for this book because it is just up my alley! What an amazing plot, stunning characters, and wonderful writing! I can’t wait to read more from this author!

When I saw this cover I was immediately interested in this book, then I read the synopsis and I signed up for arc reading the book! I was so happy I got the opportunity to read it and I'm glad I did because it's really good!! For starters it's enemies to lovers, I always love that!
It's 1 pov and first person, also something I love.
The world is unique with special powers and abilities. A lot of plot twists and a lot of action! You will not be bored while reading this book!
The book reads really easy and I didn't want to stop reading! It was constantly on my mind when I had to do other things.
I definitely recommend this book to every fantasy book lover out there!

an enchanting, page-turning read with a savvy, kickass mc who will definitely keep you on the edge at your seat all the way! true to what the title said, this book was full of lies. it’s giving what supposed to give!

meren is an interesting character whose mind is certainly fun to delve into. the banter between her and reven… whew. i had to let out a breath i didn’t know i was holding. the royal twins concept is what keeping me hooked till the end. the other meant to rule and the other meant to, what? sacrifice themselves? what a cruel fate. but also, engaging read.

meren and reven are such a lovely pair. and by lovely i mean they’re always ready to slit each other’s throat happily. who said romance is dead? anyway! the bond between meren and reven grows stronger as you keep opened a page. and after *that ending*? i can’t wait to see where abigail owen takes them next.

i love the worldbuilding and the politics tension. the characters sometimes are making dumb decisions or sacrificing myself for other without clearly thinking the consequences but other than that i don’t have any issues! solid book with a romance sparks right off the page.

thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Teen for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Teen for allowing me to read and review this book! I absolutely loved it!

The Liar's Crown, has everything you want in a fantasy story; amazing world building, good magic systems, strong characters and character development and just the right amount of romance! For those who love strong female focused worlds, strong female main characters and classic fantasy tropes, this book is most certainly for you!

The Liar's Crown had me instantly sucked into the book from the prologue, and kept me engaged and interested the whole way through. I really enjoyed the strong main character Meren and how her story progressed. I am looking forward to what Abigail Owen will give us next!

The beginning of a jaw-dropping series filled with laughs, romance, and magic!!!

WHAT. A. STORY!!! I enjoyed every second of it! The world-building is just phenomenal and the characters are just simply the best! Love them!! But Meren though is such a badass like the way she carries herself is just so right and the way she talks is so bold can we not give Reven a break before he snaps and also can we not see what he is capable of yet there we go keep poking at him!🤣
I guess that's also why I like her so much cause her responses are so much like mine like you are an idiot! 🤣🤣🤣 And Reven! OH. My. GODS! What a man! But I won't say anymore cause you will want to read about this dashing man YOURSELF!!! Now the ending is something I won't recover from til book 2 falls into my hands cause SO MUCH HAPPENS! I had to reread it a couple of times cause it went from Awww to BAM, BAM, and GASP and on that note check this book out!!!!

Thank You Entangled Teen and Netgalley for the eARC!!!

I was excited to read this story when I read the blurb and saw the beautiful cover. The idea of a royal body double was unique and intriguing. I was expecting some political intrigue and a fight to protect the royal line as well as herself in her role as a stand in but was disappointed when the story left the palace altogether and the entire point of being a royal double seemed insignificant. While the story started out well with so much promise, it lost me once Meren left the palace and everything became a trope-filled Love story. While I did like the Reven and Meren ship. I felt like the story would’ve been more satisfying if it’d been told another way with them. Sad to be disappointed when with such a premise the story could’ve been so much more.

One born to rule and one to forfeit everything about my life is a lie as a hidden twin princess born second I have only one purpose to sacrifice my life for my sister if death comes for her I’ve been living under the guise of a poor obscure girl of no standing slipping into the palace and into the role of the true princess when danger is present now the queen is dead and the ageless king Eidolon has sent my sister a gift an eerily familiar gift and a proposal to wed I don’t trust him so I do want I was born to do and secretly take her place on the eve of the coronation which is why when a figure made of shadow kidnaps the new queen he gets me by mistake
I really enjoyed this book I couldn’t put it down it’s such a must read I highly recommend
Thank You NetGalley and Entangled Publishing LLC
I just reviewed The Liar’s Crown by Abigail Owen. #TheLiarsCrown #NetGalley

This book is a very refreshing with the other YA/NA books out there! I absolutely LOVED the main character. She was badass from the beginning and didn't really change much to conform to the love interest which is so nice! Loved the backstory of the love interest too. Something that seems complex and hooked me in to see how they can defeat the protagonist. The world building was a little confusing, as I had to reread the descriptions a few times to really imagine the place! There's a few places that don't seem to align with the timeline but it all comes together beautifully at the end and I am excited for the next book! I also liked the sister of the main character and really hope the author does a switch of POV's for the next book. I only say this because a lot of info was dumped towards the end since we had no connection to the castle, so we had to read a lot of Information of what had happened while a lot was happening at the same time! An amazing read and really loved the premise of it!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me this advanced reading copy. This book was out of this world fantastic. I was so intrigued by the plot, and the romance was everything I wanted and more. I don’t know what I was expecting when I requested this book but it provided it on a million different levels. Definitely will be buying a copy for myself, and for my friends.

A kingdom with a well kept secret. A king who most likely knows the truth, never appears to age, and has plans for the future queen of Aryd. Meren is the best kept secret, trained in all the ways of royalty, but will never be queen. Her sister has lived in the palace and Meren switches place with her in times of danger. A mistaken identity takes Meren away from her home and into the hands of the Shadowraith. But as she learns more as to why she was taken, she sees people who have found a new home and a new purpose. However, the evil king has plans for her sister and Meren needs to stop him, but at what cost? An extraordinary novel by Ms. Owens, with action, adventure, romance, magic, betrayal, and so much more!
I received this novel as an ARC from net galley and the publisher. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A huge, huge thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Teen for granting me a copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

I absolutely loved this book and can see it being included as a monthly pick in many upcoming book box subscriptions.

It is most definitely going to be a best seller

The twin twist, romance triangle, paranormal, and fantasy are expertly woven into the story and kept me spellbound. I am excited to read more!

A five star novel if there ever was one!

A must read. Highly, highly recommend!

A wonderful start to an epic fantasy

This book. Wow. Just wow. It needs more than 5 stars. This masterful tale hooks you in from the first word, grabs you by the throat and keeps you captive until the last syllable. Phew. This is the first book in a trilogy so be prepared for the resolution of some small story arcs but also for no resolution of the main story arc. Meren lives in squalor as a nobody but she is the secret identical twin of Tabra, the princess of Aryd. Meren’s purpose in life is to serve as a replacement for her sister in times of danger and there’s always danger for their family. Eidolon, the immortal king of Tyndra,, has been killing off Arydan queens for generations. Meren does have secret acts of disobedience that are just for her. Reven, the Shadowraith, has his own secrets and not just the ability to manipulate shadows. When Meren takes Tabra’s place at the coronation to protect her, it is Meren that Reven kidnaps. As Meren tries to escape from him, secrets are revealed and nothing is what it seems. The story includes what you’d expect from this genre - intrigue, fighting, dangerous situations, end of the world scenarios, paranormal creatures, evil masterminds, henchmen, loyal friends and family, tragic back stories, secrets, mystical coincidences, snark, laughs, and unexpected plots twists. While this is a YA fantasy, is also a deeply emotional book. At its heart, it’s a story of stunted, damaged and bruised but not broken people who find their way together by owning their choices, recognizing their scars, finding their strength, embracing life, and deciding to be the best version of themselves. It’s a story about the power of choice. The book is well written, has characters with a lot of depth, plenty of witty dialogue, and an engaging storyline. The adventure of Meren and Reven will give you all the feels - laughing, crying, swooning, gasping, cringing, teeth gritting, and cheering. I am also super excited to read the next book in this series.

It started with skepticism. Then my interest perked up. Finally I lost brain cells.

Like a lot of novels I've read recently, the execution was underwhelming. The concept of following a queen double was original: it evoked dangers, conspiracies, dooming magic and a layered relationship between the twin sisters. However, there was NONE of that. I don't understand why such good ideas weren't explored. There was so much potential to make this story exciting.

Unfortunately, the plot was overshadowed by the romance. If at the beginning I was intrigued by the dynamic between Meren and Reven, their relationship quickly turned out to be tropey and insta-lovey. Pages and pages were spent with them denying their attraction *eye roll*. After some time, I lost interest. I didn't like how Meren wasn't that invested in the threat surrounding her sister (and equally how the twin didn't care about Meren's predicament). I didn't buy their bond. It would have been interesting to have Meren being angry and bitter towards her favored sister but, instead, it didn't bother her that much. She even saw it as her duty... I expected more from this situation.

Eidolon wasn't that much of a threat as he's not seen until the end. The monsters were scarce too, so not much excitement on that side either. I wish the author had developed the other lands more. It also frustrated me when Meren couldn't put two and two together.

The ending was... Not good. I'm sure I was supposed to fear for the characters but I didn't care.

I loved this book. It kept me in the story from start to finish and I can't wait for the next book!
Twin princesses born in secret one taken to be hidden to act as a shadow for the other. But the hidden princess learns ways of the world and makes a few friends. Once the queen dies the hidden princess must return to her sisters side for what she was born to do. But she is kidnapped once she arrives by a mysterious man who thinks she is her sister. He takes her on a harrowing journey to his hidden land where she finds refugees. She loves the people and vows to help save them from the shadow king. However things don't go as planned and she must return to her kingdom to stop her sister from wedding the shadow king. This book has a slow burn romance. One spicy scene. I recommend this book to slow burn and fantasy lovers alike.

The Lair’s Crown was so so so good. I absolutely loved this book. I loved the world, the characters, the love interest, the magic, the idea of a hidden twin, honestly everything. This book also had an amazing slow burn romance which literally had me hooked from start to finish. I cannot wait to read more from this author.

Thank you to Entangled Teen and Netgalley for the chance to read an early copy of The Liar’s Crown. All thoughts are my own.

This was an enjoyable upper YA fantasy (and when I say upper, I mean this really should be classified as NA given the level of detail that went into the sex scene) that had a lot of my favorite tropes—secret royal, only one bed (or only one hollow tree in this case), case of mistaken identity, enemies to lovers, and looks like he will kill you, but is actually a cinnamon roll. I loved the magic system and am intrigued to learn more.

Despite all that, I found that the book didn’t wow me. There were multiple occasions where reader expectations were set up to mistrust different characters only for that to turn into nothing other than artificial tension and there were a lot of loose threads at the end that I’m hoping will be cleared up in the next installment. Overall, I enjoyed the book and will likely continue the series when it comes out.