Jillian Boehme

“A bold girl, a kingdom under attack, magic everywhere—I devoured it in one sitting! This book is one wild ride!” —Tamora Pierce on Stormrise Nothing is quite as it seems in this thrilling YA fantasy adventure by Jillian Boehme, The Stolen Kingdom! For a hundred years, the once-prosperous kingdom of Perin Faye has suffered under the rule of the greedy and power-hungry Thungrave kings. Maralyth Graylaern, a vintner's daughter, has no idea her hidden magical power is proof of a secret bloodline and claim to the throne. Alac Thungrave, the king’s second son, has always been uncomfortable with his position as the spare heir—and the dark, stolen magic that comes with ruling. When Maralyth becomes embroiled in a plot to murder the royal family and seize the throne, a cat-and-mouse chase ensues in an adventure of dark magic, court intrigue, and forbidden love. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

The Stolen Kingdom

Tatiana

The Stolen Kingdom: 2.5/5 

Thank you, Tor Teen and NetGalley, for providing me with a physical and audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When I heard of this book, I had to have it. We have royalty, magic, court intrigue, secret bloodlines, AND forbidden love all wrapped up in an extremely digestible YA Fantasy standalone. The Stolen Kingdom is perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince and The Shadows Between Us.

The Stolen Kingdom follows two perspectives: Maralyth, a daughter of a winemaker who has secret magic in her veins, and Alac, the reluctant second son to the throne of Perin Faye. When Maralyth is kidnapped, she learns the magic in her blood proves she is the rightful heir to the Perin Faye throne, and the current monarch has stolen the magic from her bloodline and has twisted it into a catalyst for destruction and death. Maralyth is thrown into a scheme to plot the king's and his entire bloodlines, assassination, and take the throne for herself. This all changes, though, due to betrayal, ulterior motives, and of course, an unexpected attraction to Alac.

The plot to The Stolen Kingdom is absolutely incredible, and I binged it in a matter of hours. I was so enthralled by these characters, the royalty, the unique magic system, and how deep these bloodlines run. I fell in love with the world of Perin Faye and their obsession with wine and spirits. It is a perfect combination of The Cruel Prince and The Shadows Between Us.

Where this fell apart, for me, was the execution. I believe this standalone had the potential to be five stars since the plot was THAT GOOD. Unfortunately, the writing was repetitive at some points, specifically regarding the magic system. The reader quickly picks up on how the magic works, but the book reiterates the rules at almost every possible chance. 

We have a fabulous setup at the beginning of the book that really pulls the reader in, but it unraveled towards the second half throughout the end. Once the plot had finally fully taken shape, which was already about halfway, the book moved so fast that it felt underdeveloped. As I was reading, I genuinely felt like paragraphs of explanation were missing. 

The parts that could have been shortened felt dragged out to explain this further, but the imperative and intriguing plot lines were breezed over. One of these parts is at the very beginning when Maralyth is kidnapped, and she agrees to assume the role of queen and assassinate the current king along with his entire bloodline, for almost nothing in return, while she was reluctant one chapter before. This felt highly unrealistic, even within the context of the world. Furthermore, at the very end where we get a stunning final moment, or climax, and it's simply over the next sentence, and everybody is unscathed. There are no repercussions, nobody is hurt, and the characters shrug it off and walk away like nothing happened. This was an extreme juxtaposition to the paragraph before when everything was falling apart. These pieces happened throughout the entire book and led to the world feeling unbelievable. 

Overall, if you are looking for a fast-paced read with an intriguing plot and romance, I believe The Stolen Kingdom is worth it. The potential is definitely there, and I think if this book was a bit longer and more fleshed out, it could have checked all the boxes and been incredible.

Raquel 

eARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3,5 stars ⭐️

The Stolen Kingdom was one of my 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 in it was the magic system since it was very intriguing and unique. 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 good 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.

Sandra Tammaru

I enjoyed this book so damn much that it was unexpected. Magic, a kidnapped lost heir, enemies to lovers, political intrigue and a strongwilled young woman as a lead - whats not to love! I loved it sm that I inhaled it in a day. Fr do yourselves a favour and read it. In the beginning I was thinking that Mara's knowledge and acting was too quickly abtained but as the book went on I couldnt think anything negative abt it

Allison Garrett

The Stolen Kingdom follows the journey of Maralyth and Alac in the kingdom of Perin Faye. Maralyth is the daughter of a vinter with magic that makes the grapes grow to be the best in the country. Meanwhile Alac is the second son of the king, useless except in the case of his older brother’s untimely demise. As the wedding of the crown prince approaches, Maralyth gets sucked into a plot to overthrow the current regime and change the future of Perin Faye. 
	The Good: 
•	Maralyth and Alac- as a friends to enemies to lovers romance it was quite a slow burn, but I enjoyed their genuine friendship
•	Plot- I think the plot was well planned out and was clearly flushed out throughout the book 
The Bad
•	Worldbuilding- We got to know so little about the kingdom throughout the book I think there could have been tons more detail that actually made me excited to be in the world of Perin Faye 
•	Pacing- I think this book would’ve been much better off as a duology instead of a standalone. There was a clear break near the middle of the book that could’ve easily worked into a second story. Making it 2 books would also give it a lot more space to fill in details about other characters and the world itself. 

Overall, I’m giving The Stolen Kingdom 3/5 stars because it was an enjoyable read, but I think it needs a lot of developing. I received an ARC of The Stolen Kingdom by Jillian Boehme from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Laura Kehoe

This was such a wonderful book! It took me a few chapters to get into, but after that I was hooked! 

The characters were so endearing and real. They all made their own unique (and sometimes stupid) choices. I feel like by the end, I could understand almost everyone's motivations and connect to so many characters.

And the way magic is used in this story is so interesting! I love the political and historical elements that are intertwined in with the magic. It made for such a interesting story.

If you like fantasy books with magic, political intrigue, and engaging characters, I'd highly recommend checking out The Stolen Kingdom! 

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Teen for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

Lauren Sullivan

Content warnings: (view spoiler)[death of a parent from illness (before book starts), death, torture, fantasy violence and illness, kidnapping and drugging (on-page), threats against people’s lives, misogyny, attempt to force character into a marriage (hide spoiler)]

A standalone fantasy novel feels like a real unicorn in today’s market, so I was very excited to be able to read something without having to commit to three (five, seven…) books.

“If you’re planning treachery against our king, I want no part of it,” I said.
“You’re already part of it,” Nelgareth said. “Heirs to thrones don’t have the luxury of saying no.”

Mara has a connection to growing things, a magic her mother made her promise to hide from everyone, even her own family. She loves the family vineyard and winery, but it’s her brother who’s set to inherit it all. Instead of working out in the fields, Mara’s stuck cooking for the fieldhands. Alac is trapped in his own way, if a bit more comfortably. As the second son to the king, he’s viewed as mostly useless, at least until his father insists on inducting him into the blood magic that helps their family keep the throne. Alac knows the truth, though – the magic is corrupted because it was stolen from the rightful rulers. When a noble figures out that Mara has the magic – the deposed monarch’s magic – she’s manipulated into being the figurehead for a coup. But while no one can deny that the king is evil and slowly destroying the kingdom, the king’s sons, especially Alac, are a different story. As she attends the wedding festivities for the king’s heir, she grows closer to Alac and starts to realize that things aren’t as clear cut as the rebels want her to believe.

“Were I braver or more selfless—or if I lusted after the magic the way Cannon had seemed to—the choice would have been easy. But receiving the stolen magic and allowing it to possess me for the rest of my life was something I’d never wanted.”

I found both Mara and Alac to be very likeable, but I had problems connecting with them. While they were definitely everything you want in protagonists – brave and moral but gently imperfect – they felt a bit superficial and one-dimensional. Since it is a standalone, there’s a lot that happens in the book, from setting up the background to the political machinations of the coup to the romance to… well, you get the idea. There’s not a lot of time to get to know the characters, especially with the POV split between Alac and Mara, and then even less for the romance to develop. Both characters do admit that they’re in the early stages of a relationship and certainly need to get to know each other better, which did make up for the speed and that’s something that I appreciate seeing in YA romance. It’s an enjoyably fast read, though, with quick pacing, and a generally interesting if predictable plot.

As for cons, there were some religious undertones to the book. Magic was a gift given by God to the original ruling family, and when it’s stolen it’s corrupted, turning from something that heals and grows to something that ages and hurts. It’s not really explored much more than that, though, and I would’ve liked more about it, though I suspect that would’ve put this more firmly in the Christian fantasy genre. To be honest, I wanted more of Mara’s magic and more of the winery, though I found it a little too pat that Alac was so interested in vineyards himself. I also found it unrealistic that Mara would be able to rule the kingdom well when she didn’t even have the experience of running her own family’s vineyard.

Overall, I think this would be a great book for younger YA readers, considering the sweet romance and general inoffensiveness of the content.

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Aundreya Rich

"I'd fallen for her from the moment she'd first stepped out of a carriage in the courtyard, and I didn't feel capable of unfailing. Every word poised on my tongue felt like it would lumber forth with a clumsiness that would let the world know that this girl unraveled me." 

The Stolen Kingdom is a remarkable approach to YA Fantasy and a stand alone.
Two royal blooded lines hold magic. 

One given freely, pure and good.... one stolen, dark and wicked.
Maralyth Graylaern has always known she hold a power unlike anyone else as she brings life the the nature around her family's vineyard. Until one day she is kidnapped and held against her will to take hold of her blood right... to be queen of Perin Faye.

Alac Thungrave, second son to the crown, hates the dark magic that consumes his father and refuses to accept it. Until he meets a beautiful woman in court visiting for his brother's wedding, and realizes she may be the key to saving his family... and his future.


Jillian Bohme has a unique writing style that is fun for all. 

Read if you like:
-sweet romance
-"clean" regency romance
-a twist of magic and the fight of good vs. evil.
-a curse so dark and lonely
-the midnight bargain

What was missing:
I found the story very easy which was nice, but I think I just missed a bit of a PUNCH. ACTION!.
The ending had potential but it sped through the climax rather quickly and by the end I just felt it left the pacing a bit off.
I could have tapped 20 pages and still known exactly what was going on... heavy inner dialogue.

Rating:
story:⭐️⭐️⭐️
romance: sweet regency feeling romance
steam: got me about as excited as looking at my 7th grade picture 

Song: I wouldn't Mind by He is We

Elianna Lucas

“I opened myself to the magic, and it came to me. It was a matter of trusting it. Knowing that it was mine.”
 —Jillian Boehme

I’m really not sure how to feel about this book. I didn’t love it, but I also didn’t hate it.

My favorite part of this book was Maralyth and Alec. Though they are from vastly different backgrounds, Maralyth growing up working in a vineyard, and Alec in the palace, these two characters are actually very similar and their relationship was so cute! I loved the simplicity of how they interacted. Each of them keeping secrets from the other and both of them desiring to make their own way, following their own destiny. 

There is something enticing about a romance that takes place in a historical setting at a royal court. I really enjoy a historical setting and the behaviors that come along with it. Alec is everything a gentleman should be and Maralyth is the perfect lady. Without giving too much away, they have an innocent relationship that I really enjoyed reading about.

Despite the strength of Maralyth and Alec’s relationship and the premise of the story, there were still a few aspects that knocked this book down a few stars for me. 

I felt that the story moved too fast. Conclusions were reached without providing the reader and the characters a chance to process the events and course of action. I missed not being able to have the opportunity to learn more through the character’s engaging exploration of the situation. Certain topics like other existing nations and wars were touched on but were not explained in depth. 

I think that the plot could have been more developed, which would have led to a more detailed and expanded world. I would have loved the opportunity to hear more about the other nations and wars that were mentioned and learn more about the resistance of magic. This might have helped me to become more invested in the story. 

Overall this was a good book. I would probably recommend this book to someone who is just starting to dive into the genre of fantasy. It’s fast pace and the not too detailed world would be great for someone just starting out. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

“A bold girl, a kingdom under attack, magic everywhere—I devoured it in one sitting! This book is one wild ride!” —Tamora Pierce on Stormrise Nothing is quite as it seems in this thrilling YA fantasy adventure by Jillian Boehme, The Stolen Kingdom! For a hundred years, the once-prosperous kingdom of Perin Faye has suffered under the rule of the greedy and power-hungry Thungrave kings. Maralyth Graylaern, a vintner's daughter, has no idea her hidden magical power is proof of a secret bloodline and claim to the throne. Alac Thungrave, the king’s second son, has always been uncomfortable with his position as the spare heir—and the dark, stolen magic that comes with ruling. When Maralyth becomes embroiled in a plot to murder the royal family and seize the throne, a cat-and-mouse chase ensues in an adventure of dark magic, court intrigue, and forbidden love.

Alli King

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.

Paola C

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of The Stolen Kingdom.

This book follows Maralyth, a vintner's daughter who has magical powers that can restore health into living things. She has kept her powers hidden because her mother told her when she was little that magic is evil and that it only belongs to the Thungrave's (the king's bloodline). On the other side, we are also following Alac, who is the prince and has never wanted the throne due to the fact that the magic that comes with it turns people into having certain darkness within them. 

Maralyth gets kidnapped and has to agree to help take down the throne and become queen in order to save her father. At first, she was hesitant, so I felt like it came out of nowhere when she decided how she actually wants to become queen without having any experience in doing anything diplomatically. Like yes, she was 'trained' for a week or two in how to act in front of the royals to convince them that she was one of them, but being trained and actually being good at something are two different things. Alac was a very weak character, he didn't want the throne because of the magic that comes with it, but he then decides that if the dark magic can be removed from he equation, that he can become a great king. 

Overall, this book had a good premise but lacked the execution to see it through. The ending felt like a cop-out, and basically, everything went in the favor of Maralyth by the end, which I guess was to be expected since the story was primarily about her.

Linda Quintanilla

I was really excited that I was given an early copy of The Stolen Kingdom. But of course, I was behind my tbr piles but I was fortunately enough to read The Stolen Kingdom. And my impression of this book was that it has potential. I really love that the female character is finding herself but she needs to focus on her goals instead of other people. That really bugged me because you can't always trust people. They always have some type of motive and it may not be in your favor. Something that Maralyth needs to keep an eye on.

Alexis 

3/5 stars 

** I received this as an E-ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review, Thank you!** 

I have some mixed feelings about this book. I did like it but I didn't love it. It felt very much like an average fantasy ( this is not a bad thing), however there wasn't anything that felt super new to me. This of course could just be a me issue. The writing was enjoyable and the overall story line and characters kept me going. I would recommend for of course it's YA audience, but also if you're looking for something fantastical but also easy to read.

ashley larsen

Omg!! This book was soo good. It reminded me of why I started reading and why I love it so much. The magic and the characters were everything. I just love this book and now I need to go buy the finished copy.

Jenn

*I would like to thank the author and publisher for the ARC copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

I JUST finished this book, and all I can think is how much I absolutely loved it. I am someone wh occasionally has trouble really getting in to a fantasy book, but this captured my attention right from the start. 

Mara grew up in a vineyard, where she hid the magic that her mother forbid her from ever using. Alac was a second-born prince, who saw first hand the impact that stolen magic could have on a man. When Mara is taken from her home, she is caught in a plot to takeover the palace that Alac is not sure he even belongs in. In the time leading up to the takeover, Mara and Alac find that neither are as they seemed at first. How could Mara live with herself if she let the gentle and kind Prince Alac be harmed in their plot to take the throne. As the story continues, they are forced to face the magic in their world, and in it, decide just how much they are willing to lose. 

I was so pleasantly surprised by this book. I was in a pretty vicious reading slump, and this book pulled me out of it pretty quickly! It had the perfect amount of both fantasy and romance (and wine). There truly was never a dull moment. Having finished the book, I am now wishing it were a series rather than a standalone. I would absolutely recommend The Stolen Kingdom to anyone. Especially with the irresistible star-crossed lovers trope I love so much!

Chantale

It took me a bit longer than it should have to finish reading this book because I was busy with other things so couldn’t read as much as I wanted to. 
Anyway, I did enjoy this book. I found it is well written and kept me wanting to read . 

I do recommend this.

Jess Ostrander

This was a nice standalone fantasy. It was an enjoyable read with likeable characters, but I felt like it suffered a bit for being a standalone. Less time is available for character development than I would have liked. I didn't feel all that connected to the MCs, but I was interested in their story. The romance is sweet, the plot is interesting, and so is the magic. There was a ton of information about wine, so if that appeals to you, this story will be right up your alley. 

Overall, this read like your typical YA fantasy. It was an easy read, and a short one. While I would have liked more world-building and character development, I found it to be a nice and fun read. If you're looking for a fantasy that will keep you interested but don't want the commitment of a series, this is a solid choice!

madie anne 

was this great? not really. was it terrible? definitely not.

Ashton Reed

3.75/5 stars


  My Moodboard


Hmmmm… I liked it. I didn’t love it, but it has some really great stuff going on! Fantasy lovers who like fast, enjoyable, romantic adventures, this one's for you!

Today’s my day to post about this book for @tbrbeyondtours over on Instagram! You can check out my Bookstagram post here, which includes my journal spread, a mini-review, and a moodboard! 

Goodreads synopsis:
For a hundred years, the once-prosperous kingdom of Perin Faye has suffered under the rule of the greedy and power-hungry Thungrave kings. Maralyth Graylaern, a vintner's daughter, has no idea her hidden magical power is proof of a secret bloodline and claim to the throne. Alac Thungrave, the king’s second son, has always been uncomfortable with his position as the spare heir—and the dark, stolen magic that comes with ruling.

When Maralyth becomes embroiled in a plot to murder the royal family and seize the throne, a cat-and-mouse chase ensues in an adventure of dark magic, court intrigue, and forbidden love.

Alrighty, see all those tropes at the bottom of that synopsis? Those are simultaneously the best and worst parts of the book for me… I’ll try to explain. 

I really enjoyed the direction Boehme decided to take her story and her characters. At first, the book begins with a simple “hidden royal” with secret powers trope (which I love) who has to infiltrate the castle pretending to be someone else (which is literally my favorite trope) in order to usurp the merciless royal family who use dark, stolen magic to enforce their power. Sounds like a whole lot of potential! And a lot of that potential does deliver; we’ve got interesting magic (though I do want to understand that more) and a fresh world full of some of the best aspects of fantasy - ball gowns, royalty, castles, courtship, beautiful descriptions of vineyards and inns in small villages. The characters have unique perspectives on what it means to be a leader, and they deal with all the deliciously tense drama that comes with secret identities, rebellions, and divided loyalties.

But when I look back on what I read, something doesn’t quite feel… perfect to me. While yes, this story is interesting and magical and a good story, there are certain aspects that could have been fleshed out more. ESPECIALLY in the romance. Was it bad? Absolutely not. Am I being picky because I’m a YA fantasy romance snob? Probably. But I wanted more. I wanted more sparks, ones you can just see without seeing, ya know? I wanted more of a build-up to the “I can’t live without them” moment. I wanted more tension - it’s forbidden romance for goodness sakes, let’s see some forbidden-ness!! It was just - so close to that point, but I’m not sure it really got there. Plus, there were some… disturbing quotes from the main characters that I thought were odd??? I won’t type them out here or anything but… t’was a little disturbing how much the love interest wanted to kill her at one point, even though he… loved her?? Oh, and how touching her cheek in a non-sexual way “shot fire into [his] loins” ?? Kinda out of nowhere?

Anyway haha, this isn’t the most unique fantasy ever. For funsies, I’m going to put a few of my favs this book reminded me of at some point while reading:

Sisters of Sword and Song
The Promised Prince
Shielded
Granted

However, it’s still an enjoyable read. If you’re an avid YA fantasy reader and these tropes sound like your cup of tea, give this one a try! You might really enjoy it!






If you enjoyed this review, you can friend me here on Goodreads and follow my Bookstagram/Pinterest/Twitter @ashton_reads. Thanks for reading!

The Stolen Kingdom

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