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.
Released: March, 2nd 2021
*I received a copy of this book in return for an honest review! Thanks to Tor Teen for the opportunity!*
It has been a while since I’ve read a fantasy standalone and The Stolen Kingdom was a super fun, quick, and thoroughly enjoyable read. At just under 350 pages, this book was fast-paced and engaging with lovely characters and world-building. I loved the vibe of this story- it felt like traditional fantasy with a nice new twist. The world’s magic, given to the Dalowyn family by the Gods centuries ago, was stolen by the Thungrave’s who then took over the kingdom and have ruled ever since, as the magic turned dark and the country failed around them. This story is told from two perspectives. First, by Maralyth, a vintner’s daughter, who has a secret, and illegal, magical ability, and by the “spare” Thungrave prince, Alac, who wants nothing to do with his family’s dark magic or politics. The double perspective worked remarkably well in conveying the plot and building tension. The characters were likable and the relationship between Mara and Alac developed nicely. This was definitely not insta-lovey, which I appreciated, but at the same time, I would have liked to have experienced a deeper attraction and connection between them. While this book had a solid plot, characters, and world-building, because it was a fairly short book with a big story, I felt myself wanting more. It could be because I am used to fantasy series where there is more time to delve in, but everything in this book worked so well and was so intriguing that I kept wishing there was time for more detail and room to deeply explore the character’s journeys and relationships. That being said, this was a wonderful standalone that had all of the elements it needed to create an awesome and entertaining story.
Reading In The Wings 