Review--The Liar's Crown by Abigail Owen

Some shadows protect you…others will kill you in this dazzling new fantasy series from award-winning author Abigail Owen.

Everything about my life is a lie. As a hidden twin princess, born second, I have only one purpose—to sacrifice my life for my sister if death comes for her. I’ve been living under the guise of a poor, obscure girl of no standing, slipping into the palace and into the role of the true princess when danger is present.

Now the queen is dead and the ageless King Eidolon has sent my sister a gift—an eerily familiar gift—and a proposal to wed. I don’t trust him, so I do what I was born to do and secretly take her place on the eve of the coronation. Which is why, when a figure made of shadow kidnaps the new queen, he gets me by mistake.

As I try to escape, all the lies start to unravel. And not just my lies. The Shadowraith who took me has secrets of his own. He struggles to contain the shadows he wields—other faces, identities that threaten my very life.

Winter is at the walls. Darkness is looming. And the only way to save my sister and our dominion is to kill Eidolon…and the Shadowraith who has stolen my heart.

 

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

 

Abigail Owen's The Liar's Crown is an incredibly amazing book that you won't ever want to put it down! I'll admit, I started this one just at the height of a terrible head cold, so my reading pace was dampened by that and me pretty much going to bed the moment I was finished working for the day! Every minute I was reading this one though was a minute of complete and utter enjoyment! This was a read that held me riveted despite my waning health!

Meren and Tabra are twins and ever since she was old enough to understand things, Meren knew she was a "backup" princess. While Tabra would one day rule on the throne when their grandmother died, Meren would serve as her body double. Should her sister die, she would take her place and no one would be the wiser. There's a great deal of strife between some of the kingdoms, you could say. Everyone fears the evil king Eidolon, and it's no secret that he has been eyeing Tabra as a potential queen...so Meren knows she will be stepping up sooner rather than later. And when the day their grandmother dies came sooner than anticipated, Meren is already set to step in for Tabra to meet this infamous Eidolon.

Except, that's when she gets kidnapped by a mysterious young man made of shadows. The only thing is, he thinks he's kidnapped Tabra, the princess who would be queen.

Meren easily assumes her sister's identity, the secret of twins ruling the kingdom has been a long kept secret that only a small trusted circle knows about. But what Meren learns is that Reven, her kidnapper, isn't quite who he seems either. And he has a more noble cause for kidnapping her than she expected to hear.

But naturally, Meren worries for her sister who is still at the palace with a very dangerous king vying for her affections. Meren will do whatever it takes to keep her sister from the monster who hunts her.

This book was nothing short of amazing! While one may question the whole kidnapping part of the story and the love that is bound to form between Meren and Reven, it does really seem to work. It's an enemies to lovers kind of romance and you all know how much I love me a good enemies to lovers story to begin with! There is that Stockholm syndrome vibe, but it can't be helped. I like to think of it as enemies to lovers instead as it truly works out that way. Meren isn't your typical damsel in distress and Reven is about to learn that he got more than he bargained for anyway!

That being said, oh my goodness this romance! This romance was so tantalizing! What I always love about these slow building romances is how you can see it starting with just these little tiny moments! Moments that are so minuscule only the avid reader will catch them! Which since you're reading this review, you're without question an avid reader!

The ending was a height of excitement! So many things were happening, so many plans were falling into place. I just learned that this is going to be a trilogy, so I'm dying to know what's going to happen in the next two novels! I first thought it would be a duology but knowing that there's TWO MORE books to comes, I'm in a fit of nerves! The ending borders on dangerous cliffhanger territory! If it wasn't for a very telling epilogue...I'd still be screaming. Let's just leave it at that! I am very excited to see what will happen next within this series! There's still so much to come from this world and I am all for it!

If you're looking for a fantasy read that is beyond amazing and will capture your heart, you couldn't choose better than The Liar's Crown! This is a story filled with incredibly complex characters who tug at your heartstrings. There is so much heart and depth to this story that I am left shaking with emotions! I cannot wait to get more of this world and these characters. As you might have heard, this is definitely an upper YA book, not quite in the NA territory, but very close.

 

Overall Rating 5/5 stars