Realm of Thieves is a fast paced and romantic adventure.

Brynla is a thief, used to stealing dragon eggs for their magic, which when consumed by mortals enhances their abilities and power. When out on a mission, she is captured by Andor, son of the infamous House Kolbeck, one of the syndikats in the underground egg trade. All Brynla wants to do is escape, but as she begins to work with Andor, their attraction grows deeper. Brynla must decide if escaping House Kolbeck is really her best option, or if she can resist Andor to complete her mission.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. Having read some of Karina’s other books., I was really excited to dive into this new romantic fantasy with dragons. It took me a little to get into the story , but once I did, I had a hard time putting it down. The plot moves pretty quickly and there is some unique world building with the different types of dragons and the different lands and how they are connected politically. The relationship between Brynla and Andor was well done, with lots of tension and plenty of drama. There were some exciting twists and turns in the story, and some I didn’t anticipate at all. One thing I also really liked was how Brynla’s chronic menstrual pain was handled - it was a unique and validating part of the story for me. I also really liked the dual POV, as we get to hear from both Brynla and Andor’s perspectives. I also didn’t realize that this was a standalone… I think it will be part of a large interconnected series set in this world. So that was definitely exciting because I’ve been really liking standalone romantasies lately, but I am excited for more in this series with these characters.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley - Ace for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

🐉ʀᴇᴀʟᴍ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜɪᴇᴠᴇꜱ🐉 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
If you love classic romantasy vibes with dragons, but are craving a fresh, exhilarating twist- THIS right here needs to be your next read. It’s a heart-pounding, epic tale, that combines all of your favorite fantasy tropes with grit, crime syndicates, and all kinds of angsty goodness. Featuring a black market trade for dragon eggs that give you magical abilities, mafia type families battling for territory and power, dragon worshipping cults, heists… and even a dog sidekick with superpowers.

Brynla is a highly skilled egg thief, working for a powerful crime family. Andor is part of a rival family, and decides to acquire Brynla (and her magical dog), in order to use her unique skill set to further his own ending. He makes her an offer she can’t refuse, and the two of them, along with Andor’s crew, plot an epic dragon egg heist. I mean COME ON- how could you not be intrigued by this???? Throw in some epic banter, swoon worthy romance, page melting spice (like only Karina can write 🥵) high stakes action, and freaking DRAGONS, and you have yourself a deliciously fresh, addictive Romantasy that you won’t be able to put down!

💫This is the first book in a series of interconnected standalones, and has an HEA! 🙌🏻

🗡️Enemies to lovers
🗡️Only one cave & only one horse
🗡️Touch her and 💀
🗡️“Who did this to you?
🗡️Dragons but they’ll eat you
🗡️Family politics
🗡️Prophecies
🗡️Neurodivergent rep
🗡️Chronic illness rep
🗡️Morally grey characters
🗡️Badass FMC
🗡️Deadly cinnamon roll MMC
🗡️He falls first
🗡️Everyone has magic but you

⭐️Huge thanks to @acebookspub and @berkleypub for my advanced reader copy!

Realm of Thieves by Karina Halle was such a fun escape. From the first few chapters, I was totally pulled into this gritty, magical world full of danger, betrayal, and a cast of characters I couldn’t get enough of. The main character is fierce and flawed in the best way, and I loved watching her navigate all the twists and turns that kept coming at her. The fantasy elements were rich without being overwhelming, and the story had just the right amount of romance, tension, and action to keep me flipping pages. If you’re into heist vibes, magic, and morally gray characters, this one is a must-read.

i think the story itself had potential, but the romance and the characters weren’t doing it for me. Brynla and Andor were fine, nothing about either of them stood out. Andor becomes kind of obsessed with Brynla too early and too fast, it was so off putting and verging on creepy at the start. i didn’t like his nickname for her either and Brynla didn’t have much of a personality, shes just.. there. i do wish that there was more intention put behind the dragon egg / dragon aspect in general, it could’ve been really cool to see more of the characters sneaking and thieving around. the last quarter of the book fell apart, nothing made much sense— no urgency, no high stakes, no solid reasoning for any of it to be happening. it also ended it a way that doesn’t warrant a sequel imo, but i won’t be continuing regardless.

Not your typical dragon romantasy! These dragons are vicious! And our FMC, while being a badass, has absolutely no magic! She's an ordinary badass, which I absolutely love!! The magic of the dragon eggs seems to work on everyone BUT her... so she's different in a completely normal way.

And our MMC 🫠 Andor is such a gem! Confident, without being cocky. Not the heir or prince or king, but still the best at what he does. Willing to choose Brynla over his family. Always looking out for her best interest. *swoon*

And after that epilogue... I'm dying to get my hands on the next book!

Realm of Thieves kicks off with a strong premise—illegal dragon egg theft, rival criminal syndicates, and a heroine with a past steeped in cult escape and survival. Karina Halle delivers immersive world-building right from the glossary and realm history, and I appreciated the thought put into setting the stage.

Brynla is sharp and driven, and while I liked her as a character, I wanted more of her background, especially her time with the Daughters of Silence. We get glimpses toward the end, but I wish it had been woven in earlier. Andor is conflicted, torn between family expectations and the growing pull he feels toward Brynla. His early fascination with her makes sense, given how long he’s been watching her from the shadows.

And yes, I loved that he calls her “lavender girl.”

The chemistry is there, the spice is well done, but I found myself wanting just a bit more build-up and friction. I didn’t always feel the emotional weight behind their connection.

Pacing lagged in the middle, and I was hoping for more conflict with the rival syndikats—but the final heist and some late twists reeled me back in. And shoutout to Lemi, the real star of the show (protect that dog at all costs).

This ends with a satisfying HEA and hints at more to come, and while I wanted a little more depth in parts, the world and characters kept me curious enough to continue with book two.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Ace for this ARC Copy!

I have been reading the horror romance books by this author for a while and I have absolutely adored every single one of them. This was my first time to read one of their romantasy's, because it has dragons and I am so glad that I picked it up. It did take me a little bit of time to really get fully invested in the story, but I think that was more a me thing and not the story. Somewhere around the 1/3 mark I started getting more and more invested and next think I know I'm almost finished and plotting out who I think will be the next couple for the next book in the series, and where things can possible be going next. Needless to say, I am hooked and cannot wait for the next one..

Also, there is a magical dog... That should be enough for you to pick up this book because he is the bestest of all the boys.

This one started strong with a premise that had me instantly intrigued, but somewhere along the way, the momentum fizzled. The pacing dragged through the middle, and I found myself losing interest in the direction of the plot.

I liked the dynamic between the main characters, especially at first, but Andor’s constant secrecy made it hard to grasp anyone’s true motivations—or even the core purpose of the story. Some of the subplots felt like they muddied the waters instead of adding depth, and the development of Andor and Brynla’s relationship didn’t quite flow as naturally as I’d hoped.

It wasn’t a bad book, just not one that left a lasting impression for me. Big thanks to Berkley and Ace Publishing for the eARC—opinions are, as always, my own.

Karina Halle can write anything. Her upcoming offering, Realm of Thieves, emerses readers in a world of action, adventure, love, loss, magic, dragons, and so much more!

Our FMC Brynla has not had an easy life. She's suffered much, but has made the best of it and is a fierce woman who protects those she loves. Andor, our MMC, has had a much easier life on the surface, but things aren't always as they seem. Brynla and Andor's relationship is combustible from the start. I loved their interactions and the growth each character made throughout the story. Karina gives readers wonderful mental health representation through these characters and their support of each other. While our main couple is an MF relationship, there is also inclusiveness and some secondary queer representation in the world building.

If you are ready for a fantastical love story with strong women, adventure, dragons, and a magical dog, get this book!

Open door spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (3/5)

If you like he falls first and harder, dragons, thieves, and the cutest animal companion I highly recommend this book.

This book follows Brynla, who is a dragon egg thief with the help of her magical dog, and Andor, who is from House Kolbeck and an enemy of the house that Brynla works for. While out stealing eggs, Brynla runs into Andor and he makes her an offer to come and work for his house. She declines and he ends up kidnapping her and forces/continues to get her to work for them. Andor knows there is something special about Brynla that makes her so skilled in finding the dragon eggs, but he’s not sure what it is.

Overall I really enjoyed this boo,k especially the first half of it. The first half was great and I didn’t want to put it down, but then towards the middle, I started to lose interest and the heist storyline towards the end is what saved this book for me. The plot of this book was great and different from all of the other dragon books that are being released at the moment. The epilogue was great and I can’t wait to see what happens next. Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.

Realm of Thieves is the first installment in author Karina Hale's Thieves of Dragemor series. Key players: Brynla Aihr, and Andor Kolbeck. This is a spicy romance story that has been marketed as a blend of The Godfather and The Fourth Wing, as families and criminals feud over power and dragons. Set in a vividly imagined fantasy world, this novel introduces readers to a gritty, dragon-filled landscape where magic, danger, and desire intertwine.

Realm of Thieves centers on Brynla Aihr, a skilled thief who survives by stealing dragon eggs, a highly illegal and dangerous trade in a world where dragons are confined by ancient magical wards. Having escaped a fanatical dragon-worshipping cult that controls her homeland after the death of her parents, Brynla relies on her wits, experience, and her loyal teleporting dog Lemi to navigate the perilous black market. The dragon eggs, coveted for their magical properties called suen that grant humans supernatural abilities, fuel a thriving underworld dominated by competing criminal empires.

Brynla’s life takes a dramatic turn when she is kidnapped and blackmailed by Andor Kolbeck, the enigmatic and morally complex lieutenant of House Kolbeck. Andor needs Brynla’s expertise to pull off a high-stakes heist to secure a rumored egg that promises immortality, all while navigating family politics, an arranged marriage he wishes to avoid, and a prophecy about the return of dragons. The heist storyline, combined with the unique twist of dragon eggs as a magical power source, creates a fresh take on the romantasy genre, evoking a Jurassic Park-esque sense of danger within a fantasy mafia framework.

Brynla is a flawed, sassy, and morally gray female main character (FMC) who embodies resilience and complexity. Her backstory as a cult escapee adds depth, and her chronic illness, a rare inclusion in fantasy, brings an empowering layer to her character. Her loyal, teleporting dog, a magical and endearing sidekick, adds levity and charm. Andor, the black sheep son of a powerful mafia family, is equally captivating. His morally ambiguous nature and the tension from his blackmail of Brynla create a dynamic enemies-to-lovers arc.

The dragon egg trade and mafia-inspired dynamics set Realm of Thieves apart in the crowded romantasy genre. Brynla and Andor's romance and individual arcs drive the narrative. The way the author ends the book, you have to guess that Vidar, Andor's brother and heir to the family, will likely be the next protagonist. The author also needs to address the startling revelation about Brynla and what it means going forward. The author tends to use a lot of steamy romance in her novels, which I pretty much skip over because it doesn't bring anything to the story itself.

Wow, I don’t typically like mafia romances but adding dragons? I’m sat. In full transparency, I don’t read many mafia romances but from what I’ve heard they can get a bit darker than I believe this book did, which was great for me but don’t go into it expecting the mafia family to be super dark and twisted.

I really liked the premise of the book and the pacing. Brynla was a very interesting character, from her Lavender hair, her loyal dog Lemi and her general bad ass self. Andor is just an absolute lover boy, so it was wonderful seeing them find what they need in each other that was very pleasing to me.

This honestly had everything I needed for me to love it, and I felt like it went really quick. The end wrapped everything up nice enough that I’m not hanging on the absolute end of the cliff, but I have enough that I’m peering over the cliff, wondering what’s going to happen next. I really appreciated that and I liked how she set it up to follow the rest of Andor’s siblings and their love lives, while continuing the plot that was set up in Realm of Thieves. I’m looking forward to reading the second book!

In this book you will find:
🔪Enemies to Lovers
🐉Mafia Romance with Dragons
✨Heist
❤️‍🔥He Kidnaps Her
🐺Animal Companion
☠️Death of Love Ones
🪄Magic Powers
💔Depictions of Grief
🌶️Spicy Smut

I received an ARC from the publisher early, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was just okay. I loved the beginning and thought that it was an incredibly interesting premise, but then the pacing in the middle really slowed down and I became less interested. I mostly liked our main characters, but with Andor - the mmc - keeping so many secrets from others it made it difficult to understand what goals anyone had or what the actual point of the story was. Some of the sub-plots seemed unnecessary and the evolution of Andor and Brynla's relationship was a little clunky.

It wasn't a bad read, but just ended up being very meh overall. Thank you to Ace Publishing for the eARC - all opinions are my own!

If Karina writes it, I am not only reading it but I am devouring it. She is an auto read author and I just love her story telling and writing style. She draws me in with her stories and characters and I just loved this one so much. I always want more before the story is even over.

Whoa! This story took off from page one and did not slow down. Realm of Thieves is what you get if you combine your favorite mafia-esque romance with your favorite fantasy. It’s so much fun! I absolutely loved Brynla and, while it took me a while to warm up to Andor, he definitely proves himself along the way.

I loved how unique the world was, especially the dragon egg trade/thievery, and the different houses that control the thieves. The convent was interesting, too, and I’m hoping we’ll learn even more about that in the next book. Can’t wait to learn more about Vidar and what he is up to as well. Overall, a fantastic start to this series and I will be eagerly anticipating the next book!

I absolutely LOVED this read! The world, the romance, the DRAGONS. It had so much of what I look for in romantasy.

I loved how scary the dragons were! A lot of fantasy makes them more approachable, and while that is fun, sometimes I want to be terrified and amazed by them and I definitely felt that here. The aspect of their eggs bestowing magical abilities was super fun and a very good way for our thieves to have to get close to them.

The FMC was a great main character. Capable but also sheltered which made seeing the world through her eyes exciting. Her journey of learning to deal with her grief was very powerful. And her relationship with the MMC was perfect, they were so swoony!

I loved every second of this adventure and can't wait for more!

Thank you to the publisher for the copy.

Wow, what do I even say except this book was incredible. The worldbuilding is rich and immersive, and every character feels thoughtfully crafted. The romance was beautifully paced and emotionally satisfying. As someone who adores books with dragons, I came in with high hopes, but this story still exceeded my expectations. I’ve read several of Karina’s other books, and I genuinely think this might be her best yet.

Brynla is strong and smart and unapologetically herself and I love that in a main character, especially one who is a woman. Andor is kind and compassionate and swoon worthy. I love that he doesn't let his father order him around and he stands his ground with regards to Brynla despite his father's wishes otherwise. Lemi, the furry companion, stole my heart. He’s not just a sidekick—he’s a vital part of the story, and I’m so glad the author chose to add him.

The epilogue was the cherry on top and leaves us with an exciting tease for what’s to come. It looks like we might be getting an enemies-to-lovers arc in the next installment, and I am absolutely here for it!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Ace for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This booked hooked me immediately! This is my first story by Karina and won't be my last. The world building was sublime, and I loved the structure of all the kingdoms and the building tension between them, it added a nice political intrigue to the story. I do wish that we got a bit more of each character's back story, it would've added some more depth and connection to the story, but overall I really loved both Brynla and Andor.

This book had such a strong and thrilling start. The premise was instantly gripping—dragon egg heists, a fierce and morally gray heroine, and the promise of enemies-to-lovers tension with a dangerously compelling male lead? Yes, please.

The first 10–15% truly delivered on that promise. Brynla and Andor clashed hard, and the tension crackled between them. I loved that their attraction simmered under the surface without overtaking the plot, making for a solid slow burn with lots of bite. It felt like the perfect setup for a dark and dangerous romantasy with high stakes.

But unfortunately, after such a promising beginning, the middle of the book began to lose steam. Both characters seemed to lose the spark and complexity that initially drew me in. The danger, the chemistry, the world-building—it all seemed to flatten out. What started as a high-octane, morally gray adventure lost momentum and left me feeling disconnected.

There are still elements to love here—Karina Halle’s writing style, the rich world of black-market dragon eggs, and the potential for high fantasy political intrigue—but the second half didn’t quite deliver the payoff I was hoping for. I wanted more development, more fire, and more of the sharp edge that the beginning promised.

I'll be totally honest, when I first opened this book and looked at the map and glossary, I wasn't sure that I was going to like this. The country in the north is called Nordland, the one in the south is Sorland, east is Esland and you guessed it - west is Vesland. And the island in the middle is the Midlands! I was worried that the fantasy aspects would be secondary to everything else just based off of that, but I'm happy to say that other than the naming of things, the fantasy elements were definitely there. They weren't maybe as strong as I typically go for, but I did still enjoy those elements! I liked that the dragons were more like wild animals than characters themselves, and the author mentioned in the acknowledgements that she took inspiration from Jurassic Park on how to handle the dragons - which I definitely picked up on! I did really love Brynla and Andor as characters - Brynla was super headstrong and determined, and Andor was a lot softer and more understanding than I thought he would be, knowing he comes from what is essentially a mafia family.

The pacing in the middle did slow down a bit, but I'm a sucker for a heist story so once that came into play I was all here for it! And I can't not mention Lemi, the teleporting dog! He definitely a highlight of the book - and don't worry - THE DOG DOESN'T DIE.

I believe this is a series of interconnected standalones, so Brynla and Andor's story does wrap up in this book but I have a feeling they'll definitely make an appearance in future books.

Overall, it was fun and I enjoyed reading this, and I'll definitely read the next one!