Article contributed by Tessa Qi
Enemies to lovers romance? Check. A fantasy world with magic? Double check. A girl with magic abilities and a mysterious, possibly royal background? Triple check. A handsome boy with a charming personality? What are you still waiting for then?
The Stolen Kingdom establishes a world of magic and royalty, a once prosperous kingdom withered under power hungry usurpers, the Thungrave Kings. When there’s suffering amongst the people, there will be uprising and plots to overthrow the king. Maralyth Graylaern has spent her whole life believing herself to be just a vintner’s daughter, her father runs the most famous winery, Graylaern Vineyards, in Perin Faye. However, Maralyth is not an ordinary girl. Magical powers run within her that whenever she says ‘Swell, be sweet’ to the grapes in the vineyard, they would grow large and sweet. After her mother accidentally found out about her powers, she forbade Maralyth to use it ever again, speaking in cryptic messages insisting that this power is a curse and will carry more danger than one can imagine.
The next paragraph might contain some minor spoilers of the first few chapters, so you’ve been warned!
Unbeknownst to Maralyth, her magic is a representation of the once great royal family she descended from, the Dallowyn family AKA the rightful family to the throne, making her the sole and true heir to the crown. A Queen, in other words. Upon spotting Maralyth using her powers one day, Nelgareth Keele, a supporter of the Dallowyn family, kidnaps her and persuades her to use her magic to overthrow the Thungrave family. Disguised as Nelgareth Keele’s ward Maralyth Keele, she follows Nelgareth into the dens of her enemy, all the while trying to maintain a low profile to lower their defence. However, she did not imagine she would capture the attention of the second son of the prince.
Alac Thungrave, the second son to the throne of Perin Faye, is always the one frequently overlooked. Being the second son has its disadvantages as he is not favoured by either his older brother or his father. Unlike them though, he is not one to crave powers, he believes the roaming magic his family possess should belong to the original kings and queens, yet none exists now. He hates the magic, so perhaps this is also an advantage he’s the second to the throne. But what happens if his father left a small vial of magic sustenance in his possession? Would he change his mind about magic being bad?
This review won’t say any more in case of spoiling the story, but the book is relatively fast-paced and there’s a lot of action within it. Our brave protagonist is not a damsel-in-distress, instead, she is more than capable of taking care of herself and others and fighting back. Unlike the Thungrave King, she definitely makes for a better queen as it is in her nature to be compassionate and caring for her people. As the story progresses, we can see that Maralyth’s magic is more powerful than we actually imagined (including turning an elderly man back into the age of youth *gasp*). What’s extremely intriguing (or at least in my opinion) is this book is written from both Maralyth and Alac’s perspective so we can catch glimpses of both of their thoughts and it definitely is a breath of fresh air to perceive the male character’s thoughts as he gradually falls in love with Maralyth.
In regard to Maralyth and Alac’s relationship, sparks were flying around them when they first set eyes upon each other (*play Taylor Swift’s Sparks Fly*). The meeting was described from Maralyth’s perspective and here is the quote of her thoughts upon seeing him, ‘In the single heartbeat in which our eyes met, something nameless shifted inside me, as though it were making room for him’ (sensing some tension here aren’t we? *giggles*)
Surprisingly, things do not go as planned. After a whirlwind of events, plots were unveiled, blood was shed and once the hint of a love blossoming was snuffed out by betrayal and lies. So much action and events happen within the book, continuously keeping us on edge the whole time and wondering what would happen next. The dynamic between Maralyth and Alac is so interesting, unlike any enemies to lovers I’ve read before, it was slow burn but also the romance was always present at the same time. The ending was indeed quite satisfying but also left us in the aftermath of wanting more between the cute couple (DESPERATELY HOPING THERE IS A SEQUEL *heart eyes*)
The Stolen Kingdom is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of March 2nd 2021.
Will you be picking up The Stolen Kingdom? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
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.
Ahhhh this book looks so good!!!