Format: Hardcover, 460 pages
Release Date: May 2, 2023
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Romance
The hidden princess, now in the clutches of the king, must find a way to
stop him—and the Shadowraith she’s fallen for—in the next installment
of Abigail Owen’s sprawling, sexy upper YA fantasy.
Heavy is the crown that was never meant to be mine…
The one thing I should be thinking about is escape—but I’m not. Not yet.
Pretending
to be my twin sister Tabra—the Queen of Aryd—is what I was trained for
my entire life. Only I was supposed to be a sacrificial pawn, not take
her place. But nothing happened as planned.
So here I am.
A
false queen stuck on a throne I never wanted, pretending to be wed to
the man who has been hunting and killing royals of my line for
centuries, and desperately trying to find a way to stop him. All while I
pretend to be enthralled by him. I’ve done such a good job acting
besotted, even King Eidolon believes I’ve come under the spell of the
curse that binds us. A curse meant for Tabra, not me.
Meanwhile,
problems are piling up like sand blown against the palace walls in a
storm. My sister is dying. My amulet has gone cold. Winter is crawling
over the land, turning all to frost. I’m still not sure what that damned
curse is supposed to make me do.
The Stolen Throne, by author Abigail Owen, is the second installment in the authors Dominion series. The Stolen Throne started since the reader thinks it picks up right where The Liar's Crown ended, but instead it's months later. This story revolves around two key characters: Reven who is King Eidolon's Shadow, and Meren, aka the False Queen who was born a twin with her sister Tabra who was supposed to be Queen, while Meren was not supposed to survive.
After all the events of The Liar's Crown, Reven has been trying to find a way to rescue his heart, Meren, from Eidolon before she ends up like Tabra, a literal shadow of her former self. With the arrival of her 19th birthday, Meren has somehow managed to survive whatever happened to her sister Tabra. In this world, if twins are born, one is supposed to rule, while one is forfeit. Meren knows Tabra was poisoned or possessed and has trying hard to figure out a way to save her while also posing as Tabra and assume being the Queen.
Meren is also magically bound to Reven, which doesn't exactly go over well with her best friend Cain, who has been eager to make Meren his wife. After Reven miraculously arrives with Cain to break her out, Meren knows that she will never escape Eidolon until she finds a way to fix what happened to Tabra as well as the people known as The Vanished and Wanderers.
Knowing Reven is both enemy and lover pushes Meren to make hard choices as she steps up and shows that she might not be the true Queen but she’s certainly a fitting one. There are set of six stones with Enfernae trapped within, and Meren plans to find them all before he can. She already has one wrapped in the necklace she always wears. Meren soon learns a strange story thanks to her Omma as well as a Devourer known as the Eliminator. Benedorn can feel his consort on Meren, and his participation in this story is much needed.
It is fair to say that this story dragged me down and it wasn't the books fault. Sometimes life gets in the way, and it takes longer to get to the ending. In this case, the ending is pretty shocking, as well as expected if you pay close attention. The found family aspect of this story gives the world a deeper meaning for both Tabra, and for Meren who is now being forced into a war that she seems to be a step or two behind. After traveling to various Dominions throughout this book, it will be interesting to see where the author finishes her story.
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