Reviews - Realm of Thieves

141 reviews for:

Realm of Thieves

Karina Halle

3.72 AVERAGE

akacya's review against another edition

4.0

2025 reads: 142/300

i received a digital review copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.

ever since brynla aihr escaped the dragon-worshipping cult that controls her homeland, she’s been stealing and selling dragon eggs to survive. it’s this skill that leads lord andor to kidnap her for his own gain. though the two clash at every turn, brynla can’t deny the growing attraction between them.

this was an interesting book! i hear “dragons” and i’m sold. this book also had some drama between different families. this was explained a bit in the beginning, which i appreciated since it helped lay the foundation for this to be explored later in the book. of course, with this being a romantasy, there was also plenty of romance. i enjoyed how this played out and thought brynla and andor made an interesting pair. i’m eager to see where the next book takes them!

titaniumtammy's review against another edition

4.0

Realm of Thieves by Karina Halle is a truly enthralling & intriguing spicy romantasy that will captivate you right from the start as two dragon egg hunters start as enemies turned into captive, thieves & lovers in this wild adventure ride

This is book #1 in the Thieves of Dragemor series & what an eggcellent start it is.

Realm of Thieves is great for those looking to read…

🖤 Spicy Romantasy

🖤 Enemies to Lovers

🖤 Illegal Dragon Egg Hunters

🖤 Chronic Pain Representation

🖤 He Captures Her

🖤 Heroine with Magical Dog

🖤 Jurassic Park Meets How to Train Your Dragon Vibes

🖤 He Falls First

🖤 Touch Her & 💀

I appreciated the world building along with the interesting magic as well as political intrigue. The author mentioned that they took inspiration from Jurassic Park meets How to Train Your Dragon, which I can totally see & could feel the similar tense atmosphere they created. They then added in a mafia-esque vibes, which created this depth & fascinating dark universe that also happens to have dragons.

If you are looking for an interesting romantic fantasy that will heal, hunt, bewitch & beguile you, I highly recommend Realm of Thieves!

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

bythegraceofbooks's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous funny medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

bookishbrenna's review against another edition

4.25

Karina Halle did an amazing job creating an exciting and intriguing new world! There are a lot of fantasy books with dragons but Karina did a great job setting this book apart from others. I loved how the dragon eggs were a big part of the storyline. The fact that the eggs could give people magic was such a cool twist to add to a dragon book.

I have to admit the book was a little slow for me at first but it really picked up towards the end. Now I am fully invested in this series and I cant wait for the next book!

Thank you for the ARC Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group!

teaand_tomes's review against another edition

3.0

medium-paced

Thank you Karina Halle, Ace Books, and NetGalley for the free gift!

High-stakes dragon heists, underground empires, and heat that burns a little too fast.

I was so intrigued by the setup of Realm of Thieves—a gritty romantasy featuring dragon egg smugglers, crime syndicates, and a morally gray heroine trying to survive in a cutthroat world. The worldbuilding pulled me in right away, and the concept of dragon eggs as magical contraband was genuinely fresh and exciting. Brynla’s backstory, especially her escape from a dragon-worshipping cult, gave her a sharp edge and clear motivations. And her early dynamic with Andor? Tense, wary, and filled with promise.

But somewhere around the halfway mark, things started to unravel. The relationship between Brynla and Andor escalated way too quickly—going from mutual mistrust to full-blown lust in what felt like a single breath. It stripped the tension and buildup that had made their dynamic so compelling.

The real breaking point for me was the sex scene that took place while Brynla was grieving. Even though she gave consent, the moment felt emotionally dissonant and jarring. Instead of reading as comfort or catharsis, it read as a deeply misplaced scene that left a sour taste. A softer, more emotionally attuned moment—like a kiss or even just closeness—would have felt so much more appropriate and respectful to both characters’ arcs.

There’s no denying Halle’s talent for gritty, fast-paced storytelling, but this one needed a bit more space to breathe. The pacing in the back half felt rushed, and the emotional beats didn't always land.

Final Thoughts: A compelling world and premise with strong potential, but the rushed romance and tonal missteps kept me from fully connecting. I don’t think I’ll be continuing the series, but I’m still curious to see what Karina Halle writes next.

Content Warnings

samrushingbooks's review against another edition

3.75

adventurous hopeful mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

micheleb_reads's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 52%

This book failed to keep my attention. I kept putting it down and didn’t want to pick it back up. The first little bit was so good and I thought the dragon lore was fresh and interesting but then the plot didn’t go anywhere and there wasn’t a clear narrative. The romance didn’t have much development and seemed to come out of nowhere.

slothieereads's review against another edition

3.0

As soon as I read the blurb for this I needed to have it in my hands. I love reading about dragons and thieves stealing dragon eggs just piqued my interest immediately.

The beginning is fantastic. Life or death, thrust right in, everything felt so purposeful. I was interested in who the characters were, especially Lemi because shifting dog, and I just didn't want to put it down. Around 20% though I just became bored.

I had little interest in the characters, the plot kind of felt like it was slugging, and the romance was, for me, just there. I became a bit less interested throughout the book until I get to the unsatisfying ending. The idea was incredible the execution was just not for me.

It still gets three stars for how absolutely invested and in love I was in the beginning and the writing itself.

bookish_heidi's review

4.0

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!

kenzwrittenjems's review against another edition

3.5

Part one of the Thieves of Dragemor series combines two of romantasy readers' favorite tropes—enemies to lovers and DRAGONS. Although the world building showed potential in the beginning, I found it overall a bit lackluster and I hope book two expands on the history and prophecies to give the series more depth. Although I was a bit underwhelmed, I will give book two a chance when it's released!

Overall, I found Realm of Thieves an enjoyable, though not epic, romantasy.

If you are in between reads, I say give this book a shot when it releases next week! You may enjoy it.

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