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A review by harrowhcrk
The Stolen Kingdom by Jillian Boehme
3.0
**Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Tor/Forge for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Mara leads a simple life as a vintner’s daughter until she finds herself caught up in a game of kings and queens. Alac is the forgotten second son of a hated king, full of hate for the dark magic that rules his bloodline. The two find their stories intertwined as they struggle to find and do what is best for their kingdom.
If you’re looking for a quick, easy, standalone YA fantasy, this book would definitely satisfy the urge. The magic system and world building is easy to understand, the quality of the story and the characters are consistent throughout, and there’s enough twists and turns to keep you on your toes. There are some beautiful quotes scattered throughout—something guaranteed to earn bonus points where I’m concerned.
The flip side of this, however, was that there wasn’t too much depth. It was an enjoyable read, but in a way that was very surface level; I wasn’t terribly invested in the plot or the characters. While the split POV was great and really added to the overall story, the choice to do so with both POVs in first person ended up being a bit confusing. Without spoiling anything, the ages of the characters made some scenes uncomfortable and jarring.
Overall, this book is great if you’re looking for a quick and easy YA fantasy standalone.
Mara leads a simple life as a vintner’s daughter until she finds herself caught up in a game of kings and queens. Alac is the forgotten second son of a hated king, full of hate for the dark magic that rules his bloodline. The two find their stories intertwined as they struggle to find and do what is best for their kingdom.
If you’re looking for a quick, easy, standalone YA fantasy, this book would definitely satisfy the urge. The magic system and world building is easy to understand, the quality of the story and the characters are consistent throughout, and there’s enough twists and turns to keep you on your toes. There are some beautiful quotes scattered throughout—something guaranteed to earn bonus points where I’m concerned.
The flip side of this, however, was that there wasn’t too much depth. It was an enjoyable read, but in a way that was very surface level; I wasn’t terribly invested in the plot or the characters. While the split POV was great and really added to the overall story, the choice to do so with both POVs in first person ended up being a bit confusing. Without spoiling anything, the ages of the characters made some scenes uncomfortable and jarring.
Overall, this book is great if you’re looking for a quick and easy YA fantasy standalone.