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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
I enjoyed the hell out of Kingdom of Exiles!! The main character was very personable and you can tell she had flaws but overall you wanted to root for her. The Romantic part of the story is pretty well down and i dig the fact that It didn't seem too cliche. I can't read it to read more and I'm very curious about Nocs past life. I think my favorite thing about this was the description of the beasts and the friendship between the main character and the shadow assassins. At its core kingdom of Exiles is about friendship and really drove home the idea of found Family.
Really enjoyed this debut fantasy romance! I'm not sure I'd compare it to Assassin's Creed especially since there isn't much assassin-y stuff happening, but the Fantastic Beasts comparison definitely works, and, in fact, I wanted more of that and less relationship drama.
While I absolutely adored the world-building, and I freakin' loved every single one of the side characters that accompany Leena and Noc on their journey, some of the relationship stuff could've taken a backseat. Noc keeps physical and emotional distance between himself and Leena--and he has perfectly valid reasons for doing so--but once his feelings turned romantic (and not just sexual), there was a little bit too much oh-I'd-die-for-her. Normally I'm totally on board with this kind of thing (possessiveness, yes!!), but here it felt like Noc's personality did a slight 180.
Still, I really enjoyed this. The description of the beasts and this mystical land Maxym M. Martineau created was stunning, the writing was fantastic and fresh, and I loved Noc's brothers so much that I'd read a whole book about just them!
While I absolutely adored the world-building, and I freakin' loved every single one of the side characters that accompany Leena and Noc on their journey, some of the relationship stuff could've taken a backseat. Noc keeps physical and emotional distance between himself and Leena--and he has perfectly valid reasons for doing so--but once his feelings turned romantic (and not just sexual), there was a little bit too much oh-I'd-die-for-her. Normally I'm totally on board with this kind of thing (possessiveness, yes!!), but here it felt like Noc's personality did a slight 180.
Still, I really enjoyed this. The description of the beasts and this mystical land Maxym M. Martineau created was stunning, the writing was fantastic and fresh, and I loved Noc's brothers so much that I'd read a whole book about just them!
You know those books you start reading and within a page or two you already know it's going to be an amazing read?
That's exactly what happened with Kingdom of Exiles for me. Two pages in, I was utterly hooked.
Leena is a beast charmer. She can charm beasts and because she needs a way to live since being exiled, she sells them on the black market.
As we enter the story, Leena has realized that she's being hunted, and she takes a chance by demanding her assassin bring her to their headquarters and makes a bargain with Noc, the leader, in exchange for removing the bounty on her head.
Noc agrees to Leena's deal, because he has his own secret he's hoping he can resolve. He's cursed, and anyone he loves falls ill and eventually dies. Only one other person knows of this curse, and Noc does well to keep it hidden and to keep his feelings in check so he doesn't hurt anyone.
The story varies between Noc and Leena's point of view, and I liked that we could see both sides as they try to navigate their blossoming relationship with one another.
The beasts themselves were described so amazingly, I felt like I could really see them and understand their powers throughout the story. And Leena's connection to them was beautiful. I could really feel her love for them shining through this book.
I will say, I was really torn on whether this was a young adult book or not. It definitely feels like there's some elements of it being an adult fantasy book, but then it could also pass as young adult. The cover design also lead me to originally believe this was young adult.
I definitely found myself swept up in the Leena/Noc romance, and wondering how this was all going to play out with Noc's unfortunate curse.
So, here's where I knocked a star off from a five star to a four star read. A lot of the problems presented in the story were resolved, and I'm left wondering what will be in the second book. That said, I enjoyed this book so much that I'm totally looking forward to seeing where this story will go in the second book.
That's exactly what happened with Kingdom of Exiles for me. Two pages in, I was utterly hooked.
Leena is a beast charmer. She can charm beasts and because she needs a way to live since being exiled, she sells them on the black market.
As we enter the story, Leena has realized that she's being hunted, and she takes a chance by demanding her assassin bring her to their headquarters and makes a bargain with Noc, the leader, in exchange for removing the bounty on her head.
Noc agrees to Leena's deal, because he has his own secret he's hoping he can resolve. He's cursed, and anyone he loves falls ill and eventually dies. Only one other person knows of this curse, and Noc does well to keep it hidden and to keep his feelings in check so he doesn't hurt anyone.
The story varies between Noc and Leena's point of view, and I liked that we could see both sides as they try to navigate their blossoming relationship with one another.
The beasts themselves were described so amazingly, I felt like I could really see them and understand their powers throughout the story. And Leena's connection to them was beautiful. I could really feel her love for them shining through this book.
I will say, I was really torn on whether this was a young adult book or not. It definitely feels like there's some elements of it being an adult fantasy book, but then it could also pass as young adult. The cover design also lead me to originally believe this was young adult.
I definitely found myself swept up in the Leena/Noc romance, and wondering how this was all going to play out with Noc's unfortunate curse.
So, here's where I knocked a star off from a five star to a four star read. A lot of the problems presented in the story were resolved, and I'm left wondering what will be in the second book. That said, I enjoyed this book so much that I'm totally looking forward to seeing where this story will go in the second book.
Leena was exiled from her Charmer home. Leena needed to make ends meet and to do so; she started selling off her animals on the black market. That is an offense punishable by death. So she wasn’t surprised when an assassin showed up. After beating the assassin, Leena forces him to take her to the guildhouse. It is there, Leena makes a deal with the guild master of the Cruor, Noc. 4 magical beasts in exchange for her life. What Leena doesn’t know is that there is no way for a Cruor assassin to back out of a contract. While Noc says yes, he knows that in the end, he will have to kill Leena and collect the bounty. But, it soon becomes hard for Noc to consider killing Leena. Enough doubt has been raised about the contract and if it is justified. Will Noc be able to do the unthinkable and break the contract? Or will everything end with Leena being killed?
What drew me to Kingdom of Exiles was the blurb. As soon as I caught sight of the words Fantastic Beasts and Assassin’s Creed. I knew that I needed to read this book. I am a huge Harry Potter and Assassin’s Creed fan, and I was interested in seeing how the author was going to combine those them together. I wasn’t let down. I do want to add in that I also caught glimpses of Pokemon in this novel too. Not in how the beasts were caught but in the battle scenes.
There are three major and several secondary plotlines in Kingdom of Exiles. The first plotline focuses on Leena, her beasts and the reason why she was exiled from the Charmers. The second plot line focuses on Noc, the Cruors, and Leena’s contract. The third plotline focuses on Leena, Noc, and their relationship.
I liked all the main storylines. They were all well written. When the author did chose to bring them together, she was able to do it without interrupting any of the storylines. There were also no dropped storylines.
The secondary storylines were well written. I did think that there was a dropped storyline towards the end of the book. It made me a little aggravated because I wanted to know what happened to a particular character. But, it was brought back up at the end of the book. Which makes me wonder if that is going to be the main storyline for the next book.
Like the plotlines, I thought that the main characters were well written. Now, I will say that both characters a little off put me at the beginning of the book. They both came off as cold people. But as the book went on and I got to know both characters, my opinion of them changed. Their character development featured in my change of opinion.
Like I mentioned above, I didn’t like Leena when I started reading Kingdom of Exiles. She came across as aloof and uncaring. The scene with the buyer of the Gyss is an excellent example. But, then something remarkable happened. That first impression got turned around. My disinterest and disdain for her got turned around into me being invested and admiring her. I can count on one hand how many times that has happened.
Leena was also one of the strongest female characters that I have read to date. She went through a lot in the book, and she didn’t let it beat her down. She learned from those experiences. I loved it!!
Again, as I mentioned above, I didn’t like Noc when I started reading the book. He was cold and aloof. Take any of his scenes at the beginning of the book. Then, as the book went on, the explanations began. By the middle of the book, I understood why Noc had those walls up. He was afraid of his curse. He couldn’t show emotion or his curse would start up. But, like Leena, my first impression got turned around. By the end of the book, I loved him.
Speaking of Noc’s curse, I would have loved to know why the high priestess cursed him. Also, I would have loved to have known who he was before he was resurrected. There were hints but nothing confirmed. Drove me nuts because I have a few ideas of who he was, but nothing confirmed it.
The secondary characters were as well written as the main characters. I loved it. I felt that I got to know Kost, Ozias, and Calem as well as Noc and Leena. I can’t wait to see what book two holds for the secondary characters. I am hoping that the book focuses on either Calem or Oz. They were my two favorites in the book.
The bad guys in the book had my attention from the get-go. Wynn gave me chills. He believed what he was doing was the right, and that was frightening to me. What he subjected Leena to when he held her captive was heartbreaking. Ravenwas an enigma. I had questions that weren’t answered in this book. The most important issue was why? Why did she set those events in motion? I was frustrated by the lack of answers, but I have a feeling that they will be answered in the next book.
Kingdom of Exiles was a great fit in the fantasy genre. Leena’s Charmer abilities alone could have fueled a book. As well as Noc’s curse and his powers. I did find it creepy that he could make daggers out of the shadows.
Kingdom of Exiles was also a great fit in the romance genre. Noc and Leena’s instant attraction had my pulse racing. The back and forth dance that they did was hot. By the time they had sex, it was earth-shattering. I had to put my Kindle down and fan myself; it was that hot. My only complaint about the sex scenes was the use of crease of Leena’s vagina. Once, yes. But every single time, no. It got to the point where I started laughing when Noc was fingerbanging/eating her out, and crease was used.
There was also the point of the Kost/Noc/Leena semi-love triangle. I use semi because Noc didn’t reciprocate Kost’s feelings. But it was set up that way. I loved that the author had an LGBT representation in the book. I do wish that Kost’s sexual preference was made more clear towards the beginning. Because up until that scene with Leena, he came across as kind of a douche canoe. I also loved how Noc handled finding out about Kost’s feelings for him. It was done in such a classy way that I couldn’t help but say to myself “This is how it should be done in real life!!!” I am also eager to see Kost find love. There was a hint of something at the end of the book. Something that I can’t wait to see if the author explores or not.
The end of Kingdom of Exiles was excellent. I also had so many questions about what was going to happen and no answers. The epilogue held the most questions for me. Because of what happened to Noc at the end. What will that mean for him and Leena? I can’t wait to find out.
I would give Kingdom of Exiles an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is violence. There is language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.
I would reread Kingdom of Exiles. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.
I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Kingdom of Exiles.
Book Disclaimer
**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**
Have you read Kingdom of Exiles?
What are your thoughts?
Let me know!!
What drew me to Kingdom of Exiles was the blurb. As soon as I caught sight of the words Fantastic Beasts and Assassin’s Creed. I knew that I needed to read this book. I am a huge Harry Potter and Assassin’s Creed fan, and I was interested in seeing how the author was going to combine those them together. I wasn’t let down. I do want to add in that I also caught glimpses of Pokemon in this novel too. Not in how the beasts were caught but in the battle scenes.
There are three major and several secondary plotlines in Kingdom of Exiles. The first plotline focuses on Leena, her beasts and the reason why she was exiled from the Charmers. The second plot line focuses on Noc, the Cruors, and Leena’s contract. The third plotline focuses on Leena, Noc, and their relationship.
I liked all the main storylines. They were all well written. When the author did chose to bring them together, she was able to do it without interrupting any of the storylines. There were also no dropped storylines.
The secondary storylines were well written. I did think that there was a dropped storyline towards the end of the book. It made me a little aggravated because I wanted to know what happened to a particular character. But, it was brought back up at the end of the book. Which makes me wonder if that is going to be the main storyline for the next book.
Like the plotlines, I thought that the main characters were well written. Now, I will say that both characters a little off put me at the beginning of the book. They both came off as cold people. But as the book went on and I got to know both characters, my opinion of them changed. Their character development featured in my change of opinion.
Like I mentioned above, I didn’t like Leena when I started reading Kingdom of Exiles. She came across as aloof and uncaring. The scene with the buyer of the Gyss is an excellent example. But, then something remarkable happened. That first impression got turned around. My disinterest and disdain for her got turned around into me being invested and admiring her. I can count on one hand how many times that has happened.
Leena was also one of the strongest female characters that I have read to date. She went through a lot in the book, and she didn’t let it beat her down. She learned from those experiences. I loved it!!
Again, as I mentioned above, I didn’t like Noc when I started reading the book. He was cold and aloof. Take any of his scenes at the beginning of the book. Then, as the book went on, the explanations began. By the middle of the book, I understood why Noc had those walls up. He was afraid of his curse. He couldn’t show emotion or his curse would start up. But, like Leena, my first impression got turned around. By the end of the book, I loved him.
Speaking of Noc’s curse, I would have loved to know why the high priestess cursed him. Also, I would have loved to have known who he was before he was resurrected. There were hints but nothing confirmed. Drove me nuts because I have a few ideas of who he was, but nothing confirmed it.
The secondary characters were as well written as the main characters. I loved it. I felt that I got to know Kost, Ozias, and Calem as well as Noc and Leena. I can’t wait to see what book two holds for the secondary characters. I am hoping that the book focuses on either Calem or Oz. They were my two favorites in the book.
The bad guys in the book had my attention from the get-go. Wynn gave me chills. He believed what he was doing was the right, and that was frightening to me. What he subjected Leena to when he held her captive was heartbreaking. Ravenwas an enigma. I had questions that weren’t answered in this book. The most important issue was why? Why did she set those events in motion? I was frustrated by the lack of answers, but I have a feeling that they will be answered in the next book.
Kingdom of Exiles was a great fit in the fantasy genre. Leena’s Charmer abilities alone could have fueled a book. As well as Noc’s curse and his powers. I did find it creepy that he could make daggers out of the shadows.
Kingdom of Exiles was also a great fit in the romance genre. Noc and Leena’s instant attraction had my pulse racing. The back and forth dance that they did was hot. By the time they had sex, it was earth-shattering. I had to put my Kindle down and fan myself; it was that hot. My only complaint about the sex scenes was the use of crease of Leena’s vagina. Once, yes. But every single time, no. It got to the point where I started laughing when Noc was fingerbanging/eating her out, and crease was used.
There was also the point of the Kost/Noc/Leena semi-love triangle. I use semi because Noc didn’t reciprocate Kost’s feelings. But it was set up that way. I loved that the author had an LGBT representation in the book. I do wish that Kost’s sexual preference was made more clear towards the beginning. Because up until that scene with Leena, he came across as kind of a douche canoe. I also loved how Noc handled finding out about Kost’s feelings for him. It was done in such a classy way that I couldn’t help but say to myself “This is how it should be done in real life!!!” I am also eager to see Kost find love. There was a hint of something at the end of the book. Something that I can’t wait to see if the author explores or not.
The end of Kingdom of Exiles was excellent. I also had so many questions about what was going to happen and no answers. The epilogue held the most questions for me. Because of what happened to Noc at the end. What will that mean for him and Leena? I can’t wait to find out.
I would give Kingdom of Exiles an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is violence. There is language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.
I would reread Kingdom of Exiles. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.
I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Kingdom of Exiles.
Book Disclaimer
**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**
Have you read Kingdom of Exiles?
What are your thoughts?
Let me know!!
tw mentions of abusive relationships/rape
First off, thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for this honest review!
The blurb describes this as Fantastic Beasts meets Assassin's Creed, but truth be told, I know nothing of either of those franchises. If anything, Leena's world reminds me more of Pokemon, albeit like....a dark, sexy version of that world? Trust me, it works a lot better than that sentence makes it sound. I went back and forth on 3-4 stars on this one, and ultimately decided on four - because I genuinely did enjoy this one that much, even if it's not my usual read.
I tend to be in love with the idea of paranormal romance, but I rarely (if ever) actually ENJOY reading them. They're often too dramatic for my taste, or the characters are two dimensional, or worst of all, the 'love' story just reeks of consent issues and weirdness. I say all this not to dissuade anyone from Kingdom of Exiles, but to highlight all the ways it steers clear of those common pitfalls. This is a lush, exciting paranormal romance, and I had a blast reading it.
Fair warning to future readers, there IS an abusive relationship (and near the end, something that seems like a rape parallel to me) but none of that occurs between our MC and her LI. Martineau treats those darker storylines with respect and care, and the end result was intense but cathartic, making me genuinely ache for Leena even in the midst of her swashbuckling adventure.
It helps that Martineau hits so many of my fav things throughout this novel too. Enemies to lovers? Check. Doomed, tragic antiheroes? Check. Interesting, unique worldbuilding? Check. LGBT rep???? Check check check. This is by no means a perfect book (the chemistry between the leads is rushed, the writing isn't exactly subtle, and then there's the tired trope of the gay side char being in tragic/unrequited love with his best friend) but it was such an enjoyable read that I was more than happy to overlook those things.
This is definitely a creative book, and I'd say that for anyone who's looking for some absurd, escapist fantasy with plenty of tension/romance, then this is the book for you. The ending was satisfying enough, but clearly setting things up for a sequel, and the most interesting storyline (for me) has yet to be resolved. I know it may be a long way off, but still, after this one I definitely look forward to seeing what comes next for Leena and Noc!
First off, thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for this honest review!
The blurb describes this as Fantastic Beasts meets Assassin's Creed, but truth be told, I know nothing of either of those franchises. If anything, Leena's world reminds me more of Pokemon, albeit like....a dark, sexy version of that world? Trust me, it works a lot better than that sentence makes it sound. I went back and forth on 3-4 stars on this one, and ultimately decided on four - because I genuinely did enjoy this one that much, even if it's not my usual read.
I tend to be in love with the idea of paranormal romance, but I rarely (if ever) actually ENJOY reading them. They're often too dramatic for my taste, or the characters are two dimensional, or worst of all, the 'love' story just reeks of consent issues and weirdness. I say all this not to dissuade anyone from Kingdom of Exiles, but to highlight all the ways it steers clear of those common pitfalls. This is a lush, exciting paranormal romance, and I had a blast reading it.
Fair warning to future readers, there IS an abusive relationship (and near the end, something that seems like a rape parallel to me) but none of that occurs between our MC and her LI. Martineau treats those darker storylines with respect and care, and the end result was intense but cathartic, making me genuinely ache for Leena even in the midst of her swashbuckling adventure.
It helps that Martineau hits so many of my fav things throughout this novel too. Enemies to lovers? Check. Doomed, tragic antiheroes? Check. Interesting, unique worldbuilding? Check. LGBT rep???? Check check check. This is by no means a perfect book (the chemistry between the leads is rushed, the writing isn't exactly subtle, and then there's the tired trope of the gay side char being in tragic/unrequited love with his best friend) but it was such an enjoyable read that I was more than happy to overlook those things.
This is definitely a creative book, and I'd say that for anyone who's looking for some absurd, escapist fantasy with plenty of tension/romance, then this is the book for you. The ending was satisfying enough, but clearly setting things up for a sequel, and the most interesting storyline (for me) has yet to be resolved. I know it may be a long way off, but still, after this one I definitely look forward to seeing what comes next for Leena and Noc!
If I finish a book in a day that usually means I loved it, and the Kingdom of Exiles is no exception. I think the best way to describe this book is as a crossover of Six of Crows and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. This story follows Leena, who is a charmer in exile. When Leena and the Cruor, a group of skilled assassins, cross paths she is forced to capture them beasts in exchange for her life. The variety of POVs in this book made it very easy to become attached to all the characters. There is a huge emphasis on friendship that gave me major Six of Crows vibes. However, my absolute favorite part where the descriptions of the beasts. Every time a beast appeared, the descriptions made it possible to feel like you where there taming the beast yourself. The only reason I did not give it a 5/5 is because the ending was so well done I did not feel there was a need for a sequel. I think this would have been a fantastic stand alone, but I will give the next one a try.
Review originally posted at Thoughts Stained With Ink:
Thank goodness for book recommendations, because otherwise, I totally would have missed out on this AMAZING gem of a novel.
Which, honestly, is what I get for judging books by their covers.
I saw some hype floating around for this book, Kingdom of Exiles by Maxym M. Martineau, and I’ll admit, I was super curious! I mean, a fantasy romance that comps Assassin’s Creed? Interest was definitely piqued. But the cover felt kinda…cheesy, to me, and the blurb matched that feel. So I wasn’t 100% sold.
But then, Amanda Bouchet tweeted and said she loved it.
So, I immediately put it on hold at the library.
We all know Bouchet is one of my favorite romance authors, um, ever, so if she recs a book, all other reservations go out the window.
And, once I started reading it?
Oh wow, was I hooked.
I thought this romance was incredible. I absolutely loved Leena (also, how cool of a name is Leena Edenfrell?!) and Noc…well, let’s just say he made me weak in the knees but I also wanted to punch him in the face, at times. But their chemistry was amazing and this slow burn really made you work for it (but absolutely and totally worth it). It’s been a while where I’ve read a romance where I wanted the characters to end up together so badly, I kept wanting to skip ahead to the end to ensure that was actually the case, but that’s how I felt with Leena and Noc. I couldn’t get enough of them.
Interestingly enough, I think my favorite aspect of the book, however, was the group dynamic between Leena and the four Cruor. As they are traveling through and searching for beasts (which, I loved the way Charmers worked and how many different beasts we were introduced to!!), I just loved the way she is supposed to be their mark, yet they work together and slowly come to trust one another. Her relationship in Oz, in particular, I just couldn’t get enough of (and who, I couldn’t help picture as Brick from Borderlands??) and I just really loved that bonding and the way that was written. It honestly made me want to read more books with a solid cast of characters to root for and a solid group dynamic.
Oh, and it made the ending hurt that much more, which I am here for.
So, I definitely devoured this book in the span of like, three days, and then got bummed out that this book literally just came out, so the sequel definitely isn’t coming out until next year, sometime, and it’s only July. You could say that Martineau definitely got a new fan and I got a nice reminder that perhaps I shouldn’t be so quick to judge a book by it’s cover.
Read on!
Thank goodness for book recommendations, because otherwise, I totally would have missed out on this AMAZING gem of a novel.
Which, honestly, is what I get for judging books by their covers.
I saw some hype floating around for this book, Kingdom of Exiles by Maxym M. Martineau, and I’ll admit, I was super curious! I mean, a fantasy romance that comps Assassin’s Creed? Interest was definitely piqued. But the cover felt kinda…cheesy, to me, and the blurb matched that feel. So I wasn’t 100% sold.
But then, Amanda Bouchet tweeted and said she loved it.
So, I immediately put it on hold at the library.
We all know Bouchet is one of my favorite romance authors, um, ever, so if she recs a book, all other reservations go out the window.
And, once I started reading it?
Oh wow, was I hooked.
I thought this romance was incredible. I absolutely loved Leena (also, how cool of a name is Leena Edenfrell?!) and Noc…well, let’s just say he made me weak in the knees but I also wanted to punch him in the face, at times. But their chemistry was amazing and this slow burn really made you work for it (but absolutely and totally worth it). It’s been a while where I’ve read a romance where I wanted the characters to end up together so badly, I kept wanting to skip ahead to the end to ensure that was actually the case, but that’s how I felt with Leena and Noc. I couldn’t get enough of them.
Interestingly enough, I think my favorite aspect of the book, however, was the group dynamic between Leena and the four Cruor. As they are traveling through and searching for beasts (which, I loved the way Charmers worked and how many different beasts we were introduced to!!), I just loved the way she is supposed to be their mark, yet they work together and slowly come to trust one another. Her relationship in Oz, in particular, I just couldn’t get enough of (and who, I couldn’t help picture as Brick from Borderlands??) and I just really loved that bonding and the way that was written. It honestly made me want to read more books with a solid cast of characters to root for and a solid group dynamic.
Oh, and it made the ending hurt that much more, which I am here for.
So, I definitely devoured this book in the span of like, three days, and then got bummed out that this book literally just came out, so the sequel definitely isn’t coming out until next year, sometime, and it’s only July. You could say that Martineau definitely got a new fan and I got a nice reminder that perhaps I shouldn’t be so quick to judge a book by it’s cover.
Read on!
Honestly it took me a while to care about the characters and what was happening in the story. I thought it went really fast with Leena and Noc for a while and just felt generally meh about it all. But after a while they (and the other charactes, espesially Calem) just grew on me and i instantly became intruiged and interested in the story! I really love Leena and Noc and i came to love their relationship as well. A big + is all the interesting and amazing beasts, i seriously get a feeling of fantastic beasts and where to find them here.
Read an eARC from NetGalley
TW: Torture, murder, death
Do you ever find a book that is a fabulous splice of properties in the most unexpected way? Take a little bit of Assassin's Creed, mix in the first Fantastic Beasts movie and thrown in some Pokemon, you've got Kingdom of Exiles.
The beasts within were so cool. I really liked the vivid and up close descriptions of each creature. It offers a nice break from the overall darkness of the MCs' stories themselves. With both Leena and Noc's experiences, there are themes of betrayal, exile, and isolation. The whimsy is a good break and I greatly appreciated it. The side characters on their journey to tame beasts were also delightful. The emotional beats really land and I had a fun time reading this book.
Do you want a swoony romance with inventive beasts? Definitely give this fantasy romance a shot.
TW: Torture, murder, death
Do you ever find a book that is a fabulous splice of properties in the most unexpected way? Take a little bit of Assassin's Creed, mix in the first Fantastic Beasts movie and thrown in some Pokemon, you've got Kingdom of Exiles.
The beasts within were so cool. I really liked the vivid and up close descriptions of each creature. It offers a nice break from the overall darkness of the MCs' stories themselves. With both Leena and Noc's experiences, there are themes of betrayal, exile, and isolation. The whimsy is a good break and I greatly appreciated it. The side characters on their journey to tame beasts were also delightful. The emotional beats really land and I had a fun time reading this book.
Do you want a swoony romance with inventive beasts? Definitely give this fantasy romance a shot.
This book was so fun! I thought the premise was so fun, the beast-taming woman and the cursed man who thinks a particular beast will solve his problems. It had really lively world building and I just loved some of the various beasts! I got a little bogged down in all the action toward the end, which often happens with me, but I am excited for the next one!