Thank you so much to Berkley for an advance copy of Realm of Thieves!

Brynla has found a way to survive her entire life. After fleeing the dragon worshipping cult where she was born, she finds work for a crime family stealing dragon eggs that contain magic. This is extremely dangerous and also extremely illegal, but Brynla does whatever it takes to stay alive.

Along with her dog, she sets out for another mission and just before she succeeds, she is kidnapped while facing a fierce dragon. Her captor is Lord Andor of House Kolbeck, a rival crime family. When faced with an offer she can’t refuse, she goes from thief for the crime families to thrust into the middle of the politics of the world.

I’ve read a handful of Karina’s books so I was stoked to get the go-ahead to read this one early. It seemed so different from her normal vibes. Much more politically driven fantasy/romantasy and less dark paranormal romance. I have to say, this was my favorite of hers thus far. It wasn’t as dark as her other books, but it did toe the line.

Brynla is a trainwreck in the best way possible. Obstinate to a fault, but hilarious while being so. I felt like we got to really go on a journey of self-discovery and growth with her. Andor was a good character as well. I didn’t feel like he was too overbearing or too closed off. He had his secrets, but he was otherwise very open to Brynla. I would say it was slightly insta-love on his part…but it didn’t bother me in the silghtest. More like instant attraction or that he felt some sort of pull towards her that he couldn’t ignore. I want to stress repeatedly that it wasn’t overbearing or annoying, because I do NOT like instalove at all.

Sometimes romantasy can feel very recycled, as much as I love the genre it can be repetitive. And while this had some of the same elements, I thought the idea of the crime families and the dragon eggs on the black market, and the whole backstory was so interesting and I can’t recall ever reading something like it.

The last 25% or so totally flipped the script also, we got an entire storyline that will take us into book two with a whole new outlook on the world and I can’t wait to see what happens!!

𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙮 𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙚’𝙨 𝙨𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙡𝙮 𝙪𝙣𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙩, 𝙢𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙙𝙤 𝙨𝙤.

This book was so, so interesting! The competing mafias, the dragons, the magic system – all of it was so unique and fun, and I thoroughly enjoyed how it all wove together. As an endometriosis girlie, a lot of how Brynla’s chronic pain was treated was very healing for me.

“𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙤 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚. 𝙄 𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩. 𝙄 𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙗𝙮 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙬𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙧𝙚. 𝙒𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙙𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙡𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙜𝙞𝙧𝙡. 𝙉𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙪𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙.”

Realm of Thieves was such an interesting take on the dragon books taking over the romantasy space. I loved the switch to have Brynla be a thief stealing dragon eggs as opposed to having some sort of bond or partnership with them. There was also a lot to love in general from this book as it had some of my must haves in a romantasy — political intrigue, magic, heists, enemies to lovers, and of course dragons. I really appreciated how Halle used the foreword to get readers comfortable with the Dragemor history. The world building in general was really well done as well especially since it was such a large component to the overall story. I enjoyed the relationship building and dynamic between Brynla and Andor. I especially loved that it was told through both of their POVs. The main area I struggled with this was in the pacing. There were many times where it felt the story stalled out before picking up again.
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Overall Rating: 3.5⭐️

A thrilling and unique romatasy with great world-building and twists and turns that leave you hooked and wanting more. If you like romance, fantasy, mystery, intrigue, and passion, this book is for you!

Having read Halle’s previous books I was excited for this one but unfortunately it was mostly a miss for me. While I liked that it was a complete story in one book, because of that everything felt rushed. It had so much potential, I wanted to know more about the world and dragon but it was all glossed over for the romance that was very bland. It all just lacked depth and I was hoping for more.

What a fun and new fantasy world from Karina. Enemies to lovers, with the perfect amount of tension. I'll be forever thinking about them. And dragons! I don't think I've ever read a book like this one. Don't miss out!

I really enjoyed the premise of this book. Dragons are popular in fantasy and Karina was able to bring something new that I hadn't seen before. The worldbuilding was wonderful. What I think needed a bit of improving was the pacing. At the beginning of the book, it was great then towards the middle it somewhat stagnated. I did enjoy the main characters and side characters. I will be continuing with the series.

Realm of Thieves is a swift and fun romatnasy with touches of mafia and religious cult motifs. Brynla Aihr is a criminal for hire who steals dragon eggs for the highest black market bidder. It’s a dangerous lifestyle, made even more harrowing after Brynla is captured and blackmailed by Andor of House Kolbeck and tasked with assisting them in their political pursuits. The pacing of the novel was well executed and the sexy tension between Brynla and Andor kept me highly entertained.

While Realm of Thieves doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it excels at keeping readers engaged with its rapidly moving storyline, easy to conceptualize magic system, and witty banter. There were a few plot points that started to go off the rails but I simply didn’t care because I was having too much fun inside this world. One of my absolute favorite aspects was Lemi, Brynla’s loyal teleporting canine companion! Lemi’s involvement in Brynla’s thieving schemes was essential to her success and I adored how much page time he got. This is my official petition to put more magical pets at the forefront of every fantasy novel!

I loved seeing chronic pain and female reproductive health represented in this romantasy as well! The way these topics were woven into the narrative felt realistic and necessary to Brynla’s character development. If I had a man who could heal debilitating monthly cramps with his magical powers, you bet I’d risk it all for him! So many fantasy books gloss over these issues but I was struck by how normal their inclusion was in this universe.

As with any romance, if I don’t buy into the main couple’s connection then there isn’t much of a chance I’m going to vibe with the overall story. In this case, Brynla and Andor’s chemistry was sizzling and even though there were moments I felt like they were moving confusingly quick, I allowed myself to sit back and enjoy the scorching ride. Their back and forth dynamic really helped amp things up and allowed me to look past some of their questionable decision making in favor of their undeniable attraction.

I’m looking forward to continuing the series when the next book comes out and can’t wait to see what is in store for these characters!

Thank you Berkley/Ace and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

The first book in Thieves of Dragemor follows Brynla on her journey through ancient wards were the dragons have been contained for a long, long time. In the midst of her thievery, she encounters Andor, who sort of, but not really, gives her a deal she can’t refuse. This book is full of adventure and mystery. Dragons, mafia, and magic with a splash of romance.

Overall this book was okay. My interest was on and off. The beginning was good but the story started to fall off a little. The connection between Andor and Brynla felt a little flat. It is a good book, it just felt a little too slow for my taste.

Started with a bang and had a lot of potential, but the pacing was a little too up and down for me. The world was very intriguing. The romance part of the romantasy suffered from an emotional connection. All of this is just my take- I generally love Karina’s stories- but this just fell a little short of my expectations I guess. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book early.

3.5/5 rounded up to 5 ⭐️

Thank you so much Berkley for the arc!

I really enjoyed this one. The chemistry was off the charts and that was probably my favourite part.
A quirky magical dog sidekick? Also a bonus.
If you like a romantasy mixed with mafia romance then you would definitely like this one.

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️



When I say Karina Halle is the chameleon of the writing world, I mean it. Contemporary Romance, Gothic Romance, Dark Academia, Horror, Rockstar Romance, Romantasy - indie and trad? She does it all, and she does it really well.

Realm of Thieves is set in a world with dragons, but not the usual Romantasy dragon story where the FMC (Brynla) is a dragon rider. No, this one is a lavender-haired dragon egg thief with a magical teleporting dog (I would unalive for Lemmy I stg) who was once an orphan in a convent run by a fanatical dragon-worshiping cult. Brynla keeps the magical mafia flush with the substance that is responsible for gifting the population with magic - Suen, the whites of a dragon egg.

Lord Andor, the second son of a rival mafia family to her employers, kidnaps Brynla and forces her to help him steal eggs for his family (House Kolbeck) instead.

Brynla discovers that her family has more secrets than she ever knew, and that she may be the answer to the problems plaguing their world.

I really enjoyed this one, and I’m looking forward to the next book. I have a lot of questions and I can’t wait to find out the answers!


Notable Tropes ——

🐉 Enemies to Lovers
🥚 Forced Proximity
🐉 Found Family
🥚 Chronic Illness/Pain Representation
🐉 Religious Fanaticism/Zealotry/Cults
🥚 Magical Animal Sidekick/Familiar


Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group | Ace for the eARC and the chance to give my honest thoughts and opinion. And thank you to Karina Halle, you take me to all the best worlds!

Stealing is all that Brynla knows, she is a dragon egg thief. The eggs are highly prized for their ability to grant powers to those who consume them. Brynla with her magic imbued dog is one of the best, despite her inability to obtain any magic from the eggs herself. Andor represents the family of one of the biggest dragon egg procurers-and a rival to Brynla's employer. When Andor sees her in action he cant help but be impressed as well as deeply attracted to this girl, and he conscripts her to join his house- albeit against her will. Brynla finds herself in an impossible situation embroiled in rival faction politics and increasingly attracted to her kidnapper but when she finds out Andor's true goal she is taken down a dangerous path she may not be able to come back from.
This explicit romantasy does a good job of building an original world full of rival faction political maneuverings as well as dangerous heisty thefts. The story line intrigue starts to really build in the final third of the book to a pleasing ending that leaves the reader hungry for the next installment.

I enjoyed Realm of Thieves, but I feel like it was marketed incorrectly as fantasy mafia rivals. It feels more like a light heist with political intrigue.

The story starts off strong for me as Brynla is about to steal some dragon eggs, but encounters Andor, who sort of kidnaps her. This is a short and spicy read, so their relationship feels a bit insta-lovey, but that felt like it was expected.

I loved the world building and lore - especially how each nation is so unique. The magic system around dragon eggs is fascinating. The dragons in this story behave more with the intelligence of dinosaurs, versus what you typically see in romantasy these days. I was a little bummed by this and wish that this had somehow been conveyed in the book's description.

The first half of the story had me hooked as we have Brynla and Andor preparing for a heist, but the second half missed the mark for me, and the story fell flat.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, but am glad it was a quick read.

3.5 stars

Realm of Thieves had such a cool setup. Dragons that feel more like dinosaurs, a gritty thief heroine, and a world where eating dragon eggs gives you powers. The world-building was easily the best part. It felt fresh, dangerous, and full of potential... I just wish we got more of it.
Where it fell short for me was the romance. Andor’s obsession with Brynla kicked in way too fast. Brynla herself didn’t have much personality, which made it hard to root for them as a couple. Their connection felt rushed, like the book was trying to cram a full love story into too little time.
By the end, the plot kind of lost control. The stakes fizzled, and things just started happening with no real urgency or logic. Still, there’s a ton of potential in this world, and I’d come back just for the dragons and lore. I just wish the characters and pacing had matched the creativity of the setting.

Karina does not wrong in my eyes. Her fmcs are so incredibly fierce & a force & I love them. Karina’s writing is so beautifully done & written out so well. How she plots out the story a the romance it has you wanting & swooning & it’s full of delicious tension & this is no different. Brynla & Andor were spectacular. The way their relationship developed through the story had me falling hard & the progression was SWOONWORTHY.

I am literally feral for book 2!!!!! Karina is a queen & absolutely I immediately died my hair purple after reading this book 😝

Really enjoyed the book. It did take a while to get the main plot of why the prince wanted her help. I like the overall story. And the magic dog, can't go wrong with a magic dog lol.

Rivals and thieves go head to head in this new romantasy filled with political intrigue, an enemies-to-lovers simmering romance, and dragons.

Instantly, I was lured into this novel by the compelling dragons and rivaling thieves elements, and right away, the action took off. I loved the inspiration of the dragons being similar to the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, where they’re these larger-than-life creatures, dangerous but alluring. (And I loved our little puppy companion!)

Overall for me, the book started off and captured my attention immediately, then after a couple of chapters I had a hard time getting immersed and super invested back into the novel. I also wanted a little bit more from the romance. But with that being said, I can’t wait to try more books from this author!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

This romantasy started out pretty strong. The overall premise of the book I felt was unique and promising considering dragons being, I feel, an over saturated theme in fantasy books.

Everything felt overly explained and like I was being spoon fed information. I prefer a show, not tell type and this unfortunately was all tell. The prose took me out a bit too and I found myself re reading passages. I truly feel that if the focus wasn't on romance, this would be a higher rating for me. The story had solid aspects to it it with the nuns, syndikats, egg stealing heists, etc. If these were more fleshed out and focused on and the romance took a back burner, this would be amazing.

When the FMC and MMC's relationship started to develop, my experience reading this declined. The romance felt forced, rushed and nonsensical. They're supposed to be enemies but that lasts for about 2 seconds and there was little to no transition. Both their personalities felt flat and I just found them lacking resulting in me not connecting with them at all. I feel like this is also why i just couldn't get into it like I wanted to.

This was a really enjoyable read. The writing was crisp and well-paced; the chemistry within the romance was giving; the world was a compelling backdrop to the story and made for an interesting setting. Not to mention *dragons*. I am really excited for the next book, especially after that epilogue. This was fantastic!