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Kingdoms of Lore: Underworld #1
Stolen by the Shadow King
When the vicious king of the shadow elves drags Maren to the Underworld and claims her as his fated mate, she fights to escape.
But when Maren learns she is the legendary seer of the Underworld, everything changes. She discovers a magical poison spreading, and the only way to save both realms from complete destruction is to bind her power with the king’s to heal the land through their union.
Maren isn’t heartless. Of course, she’ll sacrifice herself to save her beloved family and the world. And her feelings for the protective, mercurial shadow king are changing…
When another shadow lord steals the key to the king’s power and demands Maren’s hand in marriage, she realizes what evil truly looks like in the Underworld.
Now, she must either fight alongside the king and hope they don’t run out of time to save the realms, or surrender to the evil lord and stop the poison’s spread before it’s too late.
Maren can still save the realms, but it will require a true sacrifice of the heart.
If you like steamy-sweet, enemies to lovers fantasy romance loosely inspired by Hades and Persephone and Pride and Prejudice with brooding love interests, feisty female leads, and powerful friendships, this book is for you.
Dive into this rich new world today!
*This duology is set in the same world as Kingdoms of Lore and Dragons Rising but readers can easily start with this book.
But when Maren learns she is the legendary seer of the Underworld, everything changes. She discovers a magical poison spreading, and the only way to save both realms from complete destruction is to bind her power with the king’s to heal the land through their union.
Maren isn’t heartless. Of course, she’ll sacrifice herself to save her beloved family and the world. And her feelings for the protective, mercurial shadow king are changing…
When another shadow lord steals the key to the king’s power and demands Maren’s hand in marriage, she realizes what evil truly looks like in the Underworld.
Now, she must either fight alongside the king and hope they don’t run out of time to save the realms, or surrender to the evil lord and stop the poison’s spread before it’s too late.
Maren can still save the realms, but it will require a true sacrifice of the heart.
If you like steamy-sweet, enemies to lovers fantasy romance loosely inspired by Hades and Persephone and Pride and Prejudice with brooding love interests, feisty female leads, and powerful friendships, this book is for you.
Dive into this rich new world today!
*This duology is set in the same world as Kingdoms of Lore and Dragons Rising but readers can easily start with this book.
9 pages, Audible Audio
Published June 14, 2022
390 people are currently reading
6387 people want to read
About the author
Alisha Klapheke
51 books774 followersUSA Today Bestselling Author Alisha Klapheke strives to write fantasy romance inspired by history and informed by her travel worldwide.
*Get a Deluxe Collector's Edition of Dragons Rising with faux leather, sprayed edges, and gold foil today https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...
*Get a Deluxe Collector's Edition of Dragons Rising with faux leather, sprayed edges, and gold foil today https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
February 2, 2022
Alisha Klapheke’s characteristic humor and vivacity ignite this darkly romantic tale! With a spitfire heroine, an enticingly broody hero, and a world so vividly realized you want to fall right into the pages and live there, STOLEN BY THE SHADOW KING is an absolute must-read for any fans of romantic fantasy.
February 25, 2022
4.25 -
'Stolen by the Shadow King'
and is the 1st book in the new Kingdoms of Lore: Underworld Series, a spin off from the Kingdoms of Lore Universe (Kingdoms of Lore Series and Dragons Rising Series) and my 1st book from author Alisha Klapheke.
I found 'Stolen by the Shadow King' to be enjoyable and engaging. Even though this was a spin off series, I did not struggle, even though I have not yet read the previous series. I definitely want to read more of this universe full of strong and loyal characters, with it's incredible found family and friendships.
I found 'Stolen by the Shadow King' to be enjoyable and engaging. Even though this was a spin off series, I did not struggle, even though I have not yet read the previous series. I definitely want to read more of this universe full of strong and loyal characters, with it's incredible found family and friendships.
April 8, 2022
This could have been such a good story if I could have even tolerated the main characters. They were so inconsistently written, that I couldn't stand reading them. Maren, who was supposedly 'terrified' of being abducted to the underworld, lost her wand and thus much of her magic, defied and insulted the King Kynan at every step even though she was basically defenseless. She was screaming obscenities and 'every foul curse she'd learned at the docks' yet a few chapters later Kynan was lauding her for her humility and kindness? Sheesh. Kynan flipped from being formidable to begging her forgiveness and doing everything he could to please her, even as their world was dying. This change happened so suddenly as to be unbelievable. I read half the book, skimmed to the last two chapters, then saw that it just ended at a critical moment. The story itself was very good and I'd have liked it if the change in attitudes of the main characters had been more believable, or if they had chemistry, or had maintained some of their initial characteristics. One side note, I have to give credit, the editing was excellent. Another thing, it sounds as if there may have been a previous series as there are constant references to Maren's past with her friends from the Upperworld. Maybe having read that (if it exists) would have explained more of Maren's character.
February 7, 2022
Fantastic story!
Kynan comes in like a wrecking ball claiming Maren as his mate, which isn't the best way to start their time together. From there we get some excellent Beauty and the Beast-inspired scenes in a story based on Hades and Persephone.
I love the world-building AK has in her stories. The Underworld in this story is so vivid in my mind and it was so wonderfully described without ever feeling heavy-handed.
The attraction between the two main characters is absolutely excellent! Everything builds without feeling forced and Maren doesn't just let red flags go.
Having beloved characters from the original Kingdoms of Lore series was like coming home! They didn't take over the story, but they added to it in meaningful ways.
Oh boy, that ending...I wasn't ready for that nor am I ready to leave this world so for now, back to the original trilogy I go while I impatiently wait for the next book - this isn't a standalone.
Highly recommended.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Kynan comes in like a wrecking ball claiming Maren as his mate, which isn't the best way to start their time together. From there we get some excellent Beauty and the Beast-inspired scenes in a story based on Hades and Persephone.
I love the world-building AK has in her stories. The Underworld in this story is so vivid in my mind and it was so wonderfully described without ever feeling heavy-handed.
The attraction between the two main characters is absolutely excellent! Everything builds without feeling forced and Maren doesn't just let red flags go.
Having beloved characters from the original Kingdoms of Lore series was like coming home! They didn't take over the story, but they added to it in meaningful ways.
Oh boy, that ending...I wasn't ready for that nor am I ready to leave this world so for now, back to the original trilogy I go while I impatiently wait for the next book - this isn't a standalone.
Highly recommended.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 14, 2022
Finally finished one of my most anticipated releases ✨ Anyway, just look at this alternate cover which I love so much 🤧 I just did hope that the story was also as lovely as the cover AND ASLO this is my first ever book read from the author so I was really expecting much.
𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭:
I just remembered that 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠 is also a HadesxPersephone, but anyway, it didn’t felt like that for me?
First things first, I did enjoy the world building, as well as its magical structure and components and the trope combinations of not just witches, Fae, elves, humans and dragons, that was really interesting for me.
The things I had issues with were the wiring & pacing that I felt was very inconsistent and at the same way too fast that really didn’t gave the story a breathing and as well as the right development before jumping on the next scene.
Other than that, I also think that the book needed a thorough edit especially the formatting and formulating of the lines and paragraphs because I did really had problems going through it. There are times that I needed to go back to the other page to know who’s talking or what just happened. There’s just so much inconsistency for me that also made it forgettable.
𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬:
I admit, I did enjoy the characters, especially Maren and Kynan’s banter.
Maren is really a fun character, she’s not just witty but a strong head as well, I liked how caring she is as well as her persistence when she’s in the underworld trying to understand what’s happening.
I’m still trying to figure out what I felt about Kynan and Tiergan since this is a little bit of a love triangle.
The other side characters are fun as well, I just realized that they also have stories so I’ll probably read them sometime in the future.
𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞:
I didn’t really felt the romance because once again, the pacing of the book really had me thrown off.
I’m also a little bit skeptical with the whole love triangle since again, there’s going on with Maren, Kynan and Tiergan and hopefully there’s a good development in the next book.
𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥:
This is a miss, I think I would have enjoyed this more if the writing was much more smoother and consistent. Hopefully the 2nd book would be much more better. 2.5 ⭐️
𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭:
I just remembered that 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠 is also a HadesxPersephone, but anyway, it didn’t felt like that for me?
First things first, I did enjoy the world building, as well as its magical structure and components and the trope combinations of not just witches, Fae, elves, humans and dragons, that was really interesting for me.
The things I had issues with were the wiring & pacing that I felt was very inconsistent and at the same way too fast that really didn’t gave the story a breathing and as well as the right development before jumping on the next scene.
Other than that, I also think that the book needed a thorough edit especially the formatting and formulating of the lines and paragraphs because I did really had problems going through it. There are times that I needed to go back to the other page to know who’s talking or what just happened. There’s just so much inconsistency for me that also made it forgettable.
𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬:
I admit, I did enjoy the characters, especially Maren and Kynan’s banter.
Maren is really a fun character, she’s not just witty but a strong head as well, I liked how caring she is as well as her persistence when she’s in the underworld trying to understand what’s happening.
I’m still trying to figure out what I felt about Kynan and Tiergan since this is a little bit of a love triangle.
The other side characters are fun as well, I just realized that they also have stories so I’ll probably read them sometime in the future.
𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞:
I didn’t really felt the romance because once again, the pacing of the book really had me thrown off.
I’m also a little bit skeptical with the whole love triangle since again, there’s going on with Maren, Kynan and Tiergan and hopefully there’s a good development in the next book.
𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥:
This is a miss, I think I would have enjoyed this more if the writing was much more smoother and consistent. Hopefully the 2nd book would be much more better. 2.5 ⭐️
April 13, 2022
Before reading this book, you have got to read the other novels in the Kingdom of Lore series. I was pretty lost when it came to character relationships because I thought this was the first book in the series. All of Maren’s friendships felt forced and had no depth because I haven’t read the other books.
Besides the fact that I didn’t have the depth of Maren’s relationships with her friends, the writing of this book felt very rushed. It was only a page or two for HUGE scenes like when Maren’s and Kynan’s feeling for each other changed. I didn’t feel invested in their relationship because it felt so two dimensional. I don’t like you, but you said one nice thing so you now the love of my life kind of vibes. It’s needed to be much more fleshed out so that we as reader could believe in their love.
Besides the fact that I didn’t have the depth of Maren’s relationships with her friends, the writing of this book felt very rushed. It was only a page or two for HUGE scenes like when Maren’s and Kynan’s feeling for each other changed. I didn’t feel invested in their relationship because it felt so two dimensional. I don’t like you, but you said one nice thing so you now the love of my life kind of vibes. It’s needed to be much more fleshed out so that we as reader could believe in their love.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 26, 2022
DNF at 100 pages
October 16, 2023
3,75/5 ⭐
I'm keeping this review short with just a few bullet points:
+ interesting, bad-ass characters
+ set in the underworld
+ reads very smoothly
+ light read
+ lots of humour
+ He falls first
+ touch her/him and you die
+ impossible to put this book down once you've reached the last 60 pages
+ you'll want to pick up the next book like, yesterday
+ the story isn't that complicated, it's rather straightforward
- not enough depth in both characters and plot
- it can be read as a standalone duology but you miss a lot of background information on Maren and her friends/chosen family
- I didn't really feel the chemistry between Maren and Kynan
I'm keeping this review short with just a few bullet points:
+ interesting, bad-ass characters
+ set in the underworld
+ reads very smoothly
+ light read
+ lots of humour
+ He falls first
+ touch her/him and you die
+ impossible to put this book down once you've reached the last 60 pages
+ you'll want to pick up the next book like, yesterday
+ the story isn't that complicated, it's rather straightforward
- not enough depth in both characters and plot
- it can be read as a standalone duology but you miss a lot of background information on Maren and her friends/chosen family
- I didn't really feel the chemistry between Maren and Kynan
dnf
December 30, 20252.5 Stars - dnf @60%, started out strong and the general idea of the books sounded so intriguing. But it just fell flat. The main characters do not have any chemistry and the story is slow.
❤️ Kynan x Maren
❤️ Kynan x Maren
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2022
Oh boy... Well I decided to give this book a try after seeing it on booktok. It was a disappointment and not at all what I thought I was getting. To start with the book takes place in the same world as previous books and it says you can read it without having read her other books. I respectfully disagree. There are a TON of characters from previous books not to mention plot points that obviously reference previous books. Now for the story... One of my biggest pet peeves with books is when there isn't enough motivation for the decisions being made. This book is basically the manual for this issue, like the MMC just suddenly decides that the FMC is ok and kinda cute. Nothing happens to motivate this change after he literally locks her away after kidnapping her. There are so many plot points that seem to come out of nowhere and I hated it. This book was also advertised as a spicer read, it's not. Literally, nothing happens. Mild kissing, oooh so scandalous. This book is so confused about what it actually is, it tried to be a Hades/ Persephone and/or Beauty and the Beast retelling for the first 25% of the book then just throws all that out the window. Honestly, if you're looking for a fantasy romance with common tropes such as...
✅ One bed
✅ Enemies to lovers
✅ One horse
✅ Love triangle (kinda)
✅ Shadow hands
There are much better books out there than this one to cover those tropes.
Story ⭐
Spice 🚫
Audio 🎧🎧
✅ One bed
✅ Enemies to lovers
✅ One horse
✅ Love triangle (kinda)
✅ Shadow hands
There are much better books out there than this one to cover those tropes.
Story ⭐
Spice 🚫
Audio 🎧🎧
February 22, 2022
• 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 •
𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: Stolen by the Shadow King
𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: Kingdoms of Lore: Underworld #1
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: Alisha Klapheke
𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: ☆☆☆☆ 4/5
𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲: 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸, 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.
I have to admit it took me some time to get into it, but once I did, I mean, I did not want to stop reading. I think people who read other books that set in this world will not experience it like this. There was a lot of worldbuilding in the beginning which was super helpful for me since I haven’t read any of the other books that are set in this world. I think my favorite thing about Maren was that she felt very down to earth in a way. She doesn’t need a man to save her she can do so herself. She really is a great heroine. Kynan had great character development and I loved all the ways he showed his love and devotion to his people. It was great to get to know Maren and all the people in her found family. THAT ENDING THOUGH. I need to know what happens next! I think those who love Fantasy Romance and Enemies to Lovers will enjoy this story!
A lot of my reviews are also available with photo at my Bookstagram: @justmyfantasyworld
𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: Stolen by the Shadow King
𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: Kingdoms of Lore: Underworld #1
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: Alisha Klapheke
𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: ☆☆☆☆ 4/5
𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲: 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸, 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.
I have to admit it took me some time to get into it, but once I did, I mean, I did not want to stop reading. I think people who read other books that set in this world will not experience it like this. There was a lot of worldbuilding in the beginning which was super helpful for me since I haven’t read any of the other books that are set in this world. I think my favorite thing about Maren was that she felt very down to earth in a way. She doesn’t need a man to save her she can do so herself. She really is a great heroine. Kynan had great character development and I loved all the ways he showed his love and devotion to his people. It was great to get to know Maren and all the people in her found family. THAT ENDING THOUGH. I need to know what happens next! I think those who love Fantasy Romance and Enemies to Lovers will enjoy this story!
A lot of my reviews are also available with photo at my Bookstagram: @justmyfantasyworld
January 4, 2023
Gonna dnf it at page 86. it feels like I am wasting my time, because I’m rolling my eyes on nearly every page. The characters are so unlikable.. everything is about the sexual attraction, the kidnapping is barely an issue, he continues to treat her badly, she continues to think only with her downparts.. suddenly there is a new important character, and she immediately trusts him with everything, she even says „I hope he didn’t poison the wine“ but drinks it anyways haha. Besides all these characters who don’t have any depth because everything is sooooo fast.
February 7, 2022
I love Maren and Kynan. They are such a great addition to the cast of characters of Lore. Kynan's character, in particular, stole my heart. The description of his magic reminds me so much of Arcturus. It's a great tie-in to the previous series. Maren is such a great individual but she doesn't think she is anything special. It's not false humility. I guess that comes from being surrounded by all the royalty of Lore all the time. I'm so glad there will be another book with these two!
February 15, 2022
Stolen by the Shadow King
Breathtaking! I had a hard time putting this novel down. I was swept up in this exciting enemies to lovers tale of magic, suspense, romance, and so much more! I loved the characters and am on the edge of my seat waiting for what will happen next.
Breathtaking! I had a hard time putting this novel down. I was swept up in this exciting enemies to lovers tale of magic, suspense, romance, and so much more! I loved the characters and am on the edge of my seat waiting for what will happen next.
July 12, 2022
4/5 stars
Lovely read, where everyone is very proper. That is a little unsettling where you are used to spicy romance, but I guess that first kiss was made all the sweeter.
Lovely read, where everyone is very proper. That is a little unsettling where you are used to spicy romance, but I guess that first kiss was made all the sweeter.
April 30, 2022
4.3/5
my review will be posted 5/1 at www.cassieswindon.com
my review will be posted 5/1 at www.cassieswindon.com
July 30, 2022
This one my first Hades and Persephone retelling, but it definitely won't be my last! This was a super fun, quick read, and it was a great one to start off my week with.
The romance was the perfect mix of desire, hate, and slowburn. And what was even better, there was no love triangle or miscommunication!! It was just a sweet romance. Sure, it was enemies-to-lovers, and there may have been a knife-to-throat scene, but Kynan and Maren were just so adorable together!
I do have to say, I wish I would've read the previous books set in this world. Not having read them didn't hinder my understanding, but it would've added a bit of depth to Maren's relationships with the side characters. It's not a requirement to read them first, but I'd probably recommend that
Anyone who enjoyed The Shadows Between Us will definitely love this one! It was a great fantasy romance, and I'll definitely be keeping a closer eye on this author
7/30/22 Reread
This is no longer my only Hades and Persephone retelling, but it still stands out. I love the relationship between Kynan and Maren, and i can't wait for them to be happy together.
Also, I'm reading the Dragons Rising series right now, and its so fun to see those characters featured in this, albeit in a different form. I had no idea the worlds were connected, but I'm loving that they are.
Thanks to Book of Matches Media for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
The romance was the perfect mix of desire, hate, and slowburn. And what was even better, there was no love triangle or miscommunication!! It was just a sweet romance. Sure, it was enemies-to-lovers, and there may have been a knife-to-throat scene, but Kynan and Maren were just so adorable together!
I do have to say, I wish I would've read the previous books set in this world. Not having read them didn't hinder my understanding, but it would've added a bit of depth to Maren's relationships with the side characters. It's not a requirement to read them first, but I'd probably recommend that
Anyone who enjoyed The Shadows Between Us will definitely love this one! It was a great fantasy romance, and I'll definitely be keeping a closer eye on this author
7/30/22 Reread
This is no longer my only Hades and Persephone retelling, but it still stands out. I love the relationship between Kynan and Maren, and i can't wait for them to be happy together.
Also, I'm reading the Dragons Rising series right now, and its so fun to see those characters featured in this, albeit in a different form. I had no idea the worlds were connected, but I'm loving that they are.
Thanks to Book of Matches Media for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
February 16, 2022
I DNF this book. I felt like the writing was incredibly jarring. This is the first book I have read by this author. I think the plot is good and I was excited for it. I liked the main character. I could not get past the extremely fast pacing and I didn't know who was talking in a lot of the lines. I don't really know how else to explain the writing, I found it difficult to read.
I think if this book had slowed down a little bit it'd be a fun read.
I think if this book had slowed down a little bit it'd be a fun read.
April 29, 2023
I tried, I really did, but I just couldn't finish this one.
Although both the story and the characters had a lot of potential, it felt all quite wasted. The characters had no depth and the MMC went from "I hate you" to "My heart beats for you" in about 50 pages. It felt like they had no chemistry. And the world-building was just too shallow, in my opinion.
All in all, everything just didn't feel real, which is important when reading a book.
Although both the story and the characters had a lot of potential, it felt all quite wasted. The characters had no depth and the MMC went from "I hate you" to "My heart beats for you" in about 50 pages. It felt like they had no chemistry. And the world-building was just too shallow, in my opinion.
All in all, everything just didn't feel real, which is important when reading a book.
February 9, 2022
Ever since I was little I loved mythology, all kinds but as I got older it was the myth of Hades and Persephone that I grew to love the most. So imagine my delight when I found out that the next book in the Kingdom of Lore series was gonna be a Hades and Persephone retelling. Stolen by the Shadow King is a part of the Kingdoms of Lore world, it isn't labeled as part of the main series but since there are recurring characters and events from the previous book that greatly impact the storyline in this book I'm gonna go ahead and call it the fourth book in the series and it was flipping fantastic as I knew it would be.
Alisha has created a very detailed world that is so vivid and interesting, that's easy to escape into, and characters that I easily connect to. Two of my favorite things about this series is the retelling aspect of each book and the recurring characters throughout the series. This series has an amazing friend group that varies across the board, in strength, culture, and personality. They each bring something different to the group and will fight to the death to defend each other, their family.
Maren is a witch who was first introduced in Brielle's story, Enchanting the Dragon Lord. Through some crazy times, she's bonded with this wild group and is now one of them. Maren fits in so well, she is kind, respectful, a little rowdy, headstrong, firey, and an overall good person. Best of all she's open-minded. After being taken to the Underworld, she is open to its beauty, starts to care about its people, and is willing to learn more about the world. Maren is strong with an adventurous spirit and sarcasm for days which she uses on Kynan, the High King of the Underworld.
The banter between Kynan and Maren was great. Maren is blunt but in a good way, while Kynan is very formal and a lot judgy then add in the fact he kidnapped her, they didn't get off to the best of starts. Kynan for those two negative qualities is actually a great king, he is humble, cares for his people, and does everything in his power to help his people even if he is slightly skewed against upworlders (non-underworlders). However, eventually the stiffness fads from Kynan, he and Maren truly open up to each other and turns out he is really smooth, he had a few lines that brought a smile to my face. The dynamic between Maren and Kynan is great, seeing them progress and grow together while struggling to save both their worlds gave is what romance is about.
The story was great. The gang is back, all of the characters from the previous books have generous roles in this one as well and I loved it. Trying to stop the world from ending, fighting a horrible villain, joking, laughing, teasing, and being together supporting each other as a group was fantastic. Layering everyone's story together, connecting all the stories through different events, makes the world more tangible, even the Underworld. Turns out the Underworld is a totally different realm, with its own people, animals, vegetation, culture, politics, and more. The elves there seem nice even if they are biased against upworlders, the animals are normal except they have wyverns which is like a miniature dragon. The magic in this book was great, learning of their myths and ceremonies, how things are done plus shadow magic was really cool. There is nothing I would change about this book.
Stolen by the Shadow King was everything I've come to expect in a Kingdom of Lore book, valiant warriors, powerful magic, a cunning enemy, strong females, dashing males, fantastic banter, and a whole lot of crazy. However, this is a warning, Alisha did me dirty by giving this book a true cliffhanger that had me screaming at the end. The other books in the series had a nice calm ending with hints of who the next female leading character would be but in Stolen by the Shadow King things are far from rest and Maren's story will continue in the next book which I can't wait to get my greedy hands on.
Alisha has created a very detailed world that is so vivid and interesting, that's easy to escape into, and characters that I easily connect to. Two of my favorite things about this series is the retelling aspect of each book and the recurring characters throughout the series. This series has an amazing friend group that varies across the board, in strength, culture, and personality. They each bring something different to the group and will fight to the death to defend each other, their family.
Maren is a witch who was first introduced in Brielle's story, Enchanting the Dragon Lord. Through some crazy times, she's bonded with this wild group and is now one of them. Maren fits in so well, she is kind, respectful, a little rowdy, headstrong, firey, and an overall good person. Best of all she's open-minded. After being taken to the Underworld, she is open to its beauty, starts to care about its people, and is willing to learn more about the world. Maren is strong with an adventurous spirit and sarcasm for days which she uses on Kynan, the High King of the Underworld.
The banter between Kynan and Maren was great. Maren is blunt but in a good way, while Kynan is very formal and a lot judgy then add in the fact he kidnapped her, they didn't get off to the best of starts. Kynan for those two negative qualities is actually a great king, he is humble, cares for his people, and does everything in his power to help his people even if he is slightly skewed against upworlders (non-underworlders). However, eventually the stiffness fads from Kynan, he and Maren truly open up to each other and turns out he is really smooth, he had a few lines that brought a smile to my face. The dynamic between Maren and Kynan is great, seeing them progress and grow together while struggling to save both their worlds gave is what romance is about.
The story was great. The gang is back, all of the characters from the previous books have generous roles in this one as well and I loved it. Trying to stop the world from ending, fighting a horrible villain, joking, laughing, teasing, and being together supporting each other as a group was fantastic. Layering everyone's story together, connecting all the stories through different events, makes the world more tangible, even the Underworld. Turns out the Underworld is a totally different realm, with its own people, animals, vegetation, culture, politics, and more. The elves there seem nice even if they are biased against upworlders, the animals are normal except they have wyverns which is like a miniature dragon. The magic in this book was great, learning of their myths and ceremonies, how things are done plus shadow magic was really cool. There is nothing I would change about this book.
Stolen by the Shadow King was everything I've come to expect in a Kingdom of Lore book, valiant warriors, powerful magic, a cunning enemy, strong females, dashing males, fantastic banter, and a whole lot of crazy. However, this is a warning, Alisha did me dirty by giving this book a true cliffhanger that had me screaming at the end. The other books in the series had a nice calm ending with hints of who the next female leading character would be but in Stolen by the Shadow King things are far from rest and Maren's story will continue in the next book which I can't wait to get my greedy hands on.
December 20, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
When I first started reading this book I was unsure what to think, but then it started getting very intriguing + much better very quickly - I ended up quite liking it. I found the plot very interesting 🤔 with all the underworld history and the fascinating fantasy setting, I couldn’t put the book down due to being so inquired into the forthcoming storyline. Also, I did love the romance - I do think it was carried out well - not being too rushed. With the soulmate thing I was kind of scared the romance would feel forced, as if the main character and love interest were only together because fate said they should be, but the author executed it in a way that it was clear they loved each other not just because of the soulmate thing - and that the soulmate thing was more something that helped them find each other rather than the sole reason they were together. I also loved the found family trope here - sometimes with a lot of characters it feels overwhelming but the author wrote the bunch of less main characters in a way that I could remember them all and they each had their own backstory + were found family to the main character. I loved the main characters dynamic with her found family, it definitely added to the book and worked very well.
I also loved the main character - she has a fiery personality to match her 🔥 powers, and was quite relatable at the same time which I loved.
I will say that early on reading this book I was thinking of dnfing (like during the first 5-10% approximately) as the love interest was kind of an arse for a bit 🫥 but then he got redeemed quick + grovelled (🥳) so all was well.
Also i’m usually not sure about reading persephone x hades re-tellings due to what i’ve heard is the original story, however (please do correct me if i’m wrong) this book did not romanticise anything bad and the romance was fully consensual and the relationship a healthy one. Just wanted to clarify due to what I have heard other persephone x hades retellings are like / other books I have heard about recently on booktok which romanticise horrid things that in no way should be thought of as romantic, and I would hate to come across that unknowingly (as i unfortunately did earlier this year - with the unseelie prince series that made me wish I could rate a book 0 stars 😵💫)
Anyways i’m now going to pick up the sequel - i’m gonna be honest i’m not sure if I have high expectations for a sequel but that is just because i’m not sure if there is enough to go on for another book - but we shall see - maybe I will be pleasantly surprised 👀
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
📕📕📕📕/📚📚📚📚📚
p.s Im glad this was a quick read as I (a slow reader) have 3 books to read in 11 days. With the new year approaching I was glad to have another book to add to my goodreads goal - lets just hope I can read 3 more. Will I complete my goodreads goal this year?? We will find out soon… 😵💫🫣🫣🙈🙈😆😆😶🌫️😶🌫️🤔🤔🫠🫠
When I first started reading this book I was unsure what to think, but then it started getting very intriguing + much better very quickly - I ended up quite liking it. I found the plot very interesting 🤔 with all the underworld history and the fascinating fantasy setting, I couldn’t put the book down due to being so inquired into the forthcoming storyline. Also, I did love the romance - I do think it was carried out well - not being too rushed. With the soulmate thing I was kind of scared the romance would feel forced, as if the main character and love interest were only together because fate said they should be, but the author executed it in a way that it was clear they loved each other not just because of the soulmate thing - and that the soulmate thing was more something that helped them find each other rather than the sole reason they were together. I also loved the found family trope here - sometimes with a lot of characters it feels overwhelming but the author wrote the bunch of less main characters in a way that I could remember them all and they each had their own backstory + were found family to the main character. I loved the main characters dynamic with her found family, it definitely added to the book and worked very well.
I also loved the main character - she has a fiery personality to match her 🔥 powers, and was quite relatable at the same time which I loved.
I will say that early on reading this book I was thinking of dnfing (like during the first 5-10% approximately) as the love interest was kind of an arse for a bit 🫥 but then he got redeemed quick + grovelled (🥳) so all was well.
Also i’m usually not sure about reading persephone x hades re-tellings due to what i’ve heard is the original story, however (please do correct me if i’m wrong) this book did not romanticise anything bad and the romance was fully consensual and the relationship a healthy one. Just wanted to clarify due to what I have heard other persephone x hades retellings are like / other books I have heard about recently on booktok which romanticise horrid things that in no way should be thought of as romantic, and I would hate to come across that unknowingly (as i unfortunately did earlier this year - with the unseelie prince series that made me wish I could rate a book 0 stars 😵💫)
Anyways i’m now going to pick up the sequel - i’m gonna be honest i’m not sure if I have high expectations for a sequel but that is just because i’m not sure if there is enough to go on for another book - but we shall see - maybe I will be pleasantly surprised 👀
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
📕📕📕📕/📚📚📚📚📚
p.s Im glad this was a quick read as I (a slow reader) have 3 books to read in 11 days. With the new year approaching I was glad to have another book to add to my goodreads goal - lets just hope I can read 3 more. Will I complete my goodreads goal this year?? We will find out soon… 😵💫🫣🫣🙈🙈😆😆😶🌫️😶🌫️🤔🤔🫠🫠
February 9, 2022
If we take a dash of The Folk of Air series by Holly Black, a splash of The Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas, a cup of The Married to Magic series by Elise Kova and put it in a blender you would get the perfectly delicious masterpiece written by Alisha Klapheke. Even though the Kingdom of Lore - Underworld duology is a spin-off of her stand-alone in the Kingdom of Lore books, I highly recommend you read those in order! STAT! I say this because you can’t miss the snark, wit, and wordplay of the previous books and the superb character and world development that carries over to the first part of this duology.
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If you have ever read any of my reviews you would know that my main thing is character and world development. She has not skipped a beat with Stolen by the Shadow King. In this book, you will meet characters from the previous books and their interactions are vital to the story. BECAUSE the love that Maren, the main character, has for her chosen family is what fuels her determination to aid the dying land. Well, that and she actually cares about humanity. The Shadow King himself is dreamy with an edge to him as sharp as an ancient magical sword and his devotion to his people is also noteworthy. The fact that he is handsome and dangerous helps tremendously. Aside from the main characters in the ARC. The sleazy characters make you itch and the loveable secondary characters are the balm to remedy the itch.
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Alisha is such a descriptive writer that each character lept off the page. Each hit of magic or slash in battle was felt on my flesh and I cried a few times from despair and sheer joy!! You know depending on who got hit? The lush scenery was written with the mind of a true fantasy writer. BRAVO, Mrs. Klapheke, BRAVO!
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I most definitely give Stolen by The Shadow King five stars and a tip of my Nerd Girl hat! This book will be one of the fabulous fantasy reads of 2022!!
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**This review was done in conjunction with the Nerd Girl Official book Blog.
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If you have ever read any of my reviews you would know that my main thing is character and world development. She has not skipped a beat with Stolen by the Shadow King. In this book, you will meet characters from the previous books and their interactions are vital to the story. BECAUSE the love that Maren, the main character, has for her chosen family is what fuels her determination to aid the dying land. Well, that and she actually cares about humanity. The Shadow King himself is dreamy with an edge to him as sharp as an ancient magical sword and his devotion to his people is also noteworthy. The fact that he is handsome and dangerous helps tremendously. Aside from the main characters in the ARC. The sleazy characters make you itch and the loveable secondary characters are the balm to remedy the itch.
.
Alisha is such a descriptive writer that each character lept off the page. Each hit of magic or slash in battle was felt on my flesh and I cried a few times from despair and sheer joy!! You know depending on who got hit? The lush scenery was written with the mind of a true fantasy writer. BRAVO, Mrs. Klapheke, BRAVO!
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I most definitely give Stolen by The Shadow King five stars and a tip of my Nerd Girl hat! This book will be one of the fabulous fantasy reads of 2022!!
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**This review was done in conjunction with the Nerd Girl Official book Blog.
Read
February 4, 2022I love the way Alisha immediately commands your attention, none of that, wait let's see what happens before I decide if this book is for me. Nope, by the time I'm through the first page, I'm already oblivious to anything happening around me. Totally riveting. It's part of an awesome series and this book revolves around Maren. She is a delightful character, proud, loyal, loving, sarcastic and streetwise, she adds flair to the story. A human witch, who is feared by the people for her ability to converse with the dead, she struggles to find her place. Her royal friends, embrace her with their love and acceptance and she regards them as family. It was really great to see my favourite characters from prior books feature in this one as well as all the books in the series, especially Werian, his sense of humour is divine. Things change rapidly when Aury has a vision, one of the destruction of the world and suddenly Maren finds herself abducted by the Shadow King, who she challenges verbally at every opportunity. So cool!The way the underworld is described, with such beauty and dreamy colours I want to go live there! And I just love that the King of the Underworld is a dark or shadow Elf, who doesn't like dark Elves? King Kynan is so proper, he believes in decorum at all times, which actually led to some quite comical interchanges with Maren. Loved seeing him so beduffled. As Maren learns the real purpose for the abduction, she grapples with herself to accept it. But then comes a major spoke in the wheel! What follows is even more captivating, more exciting, as the fight for survival becomes paramount! The battles with all that magic, just wow! I think of all the couples in this series, Maren and Kynan are my favourite and that's difficult to admit when all the couples are so special. And OMG, that cliffhanger! This fast paced book will have you dreaming, sympathising, terrified but I promise you'll be as riveted as I was!
July 11, 2022
Rating: 4.5 Stars
"I will show you my genuine remorse and my true heart, my lady if you will allow it."
"He would protect her above all else, above his own life, above the well-being of the realms."
"The way he ignores everyone else like you're the only person in the entire world"
Stolen by the Shadow King is a spin-off but can be read immediately. It’s a Hades/Persephone inspired with a twist because there are dragon shifters, fae, shadow elves, witches, etc.
So, Maren and Kynan’s world is ending, and to save both realms Maren must bind her power with the king. But then another shadow lord shows up and steals the key to Kynan’s power and demands Maren’s hand in marriage. She fights alongside Kynan and her found family to take back what was taken but will there be enough time to save the realms without sacrificing her heart?
Maren is a human witch and able to communicate with the spirits. She’s a strong heroine that will do anything for her found family. I love the found family aspect and their love for each other. The friendship is just perfect.
High King Kynan is our amazing MMC that is most definitely a gentleman (or gentle elf?). He cares for his people and his people respect and cares for him. I absolutely ADORE him. He is affectionate in all ways possible.
I’d like to point out that there wasn’t anything steamy in this book. There were some sweet moments but not full-on steam so I guess I’d say it’s 2 out of 5 peppers. The fighting scene was so intense and I absolutely love that Maren’s found family was there for her. Maren is a strong heroine because of her willingness to do anything for her loved ones. That fucking ending broke my heart! Are you fucking kidding me? After all that? I most definitely cannot wait for the next book which comes out at the end of the month.
"I will show you my genuine remorse and my true heart, my lady if you will allow it."
"He would protect her above all else, above his own life, above the well-being of the realms."
"The way he ignores everyone else like you're the only person in the entire world"
Stolen by the Shadow King is a spin-off but can be read immediately. It’s a Hades/Persephone inspired with a twist because there are dragon shifters, fae, shadow elves, witches, etc.
So, Maren and Kynan’s world is ending, and to save both realms Maren must bind her power with the king. But then another shadow lord shows up and steals the key to Kynan’s power and demands Maren’s hand in marriage. She fights alongside Kynan and her found family to take back what was taken but will there be enough time to save the realms without sacrificing her heart?
Maren is a human witch and able to communicate with the spirits. She’s a strong heroine that will do anything for her found family. I love the found family aspect and their love for each other. The friendship is just perfect.
High King Kynan is our amazing MMC that is most definitely a gentleman (or gentle elf?). He cares for his people and his people respect and cares for him. I absolutely ADORE him. He is affectionate in all ways possible.
I’d like to point out that there wasn’t anything steamy in this book. There were some sweet moments but not full-on steam so I guess I’d say it’s 2 out of 5 peppers. The fighting scene was so intense and I absolutely love that Maren’s found family was there for her. Maren is a strong heroine because of her willingness to do anything for her loved ones. That fucking ending broke my heart! Are you fucking kidding me? After all that? I most definitely cannot wait for the next book which comes out at the end of the month.
February 8, 2022
Maren is a human witch, who is also a deadspeaker, and because she communes with spirits she gets cruelly abducted by the shadow king and dragged into the underworld. Maren is furious and refuses to even acknowledge Kynan, even though he apologises for the way he stole her from her friends. Seems she is the seer and the only one who could save both realms, as poison was killing the sacred oak tree and grey ice was covering the spirit well and killing everything. In order to save the realms she would have to accept to bind herself to the King, and to live forevermore in the underworld. Maren at first feared she would not be strong enough to take such a selfless step for the realms, but her feelings for Kynan were changing, and though she wanted to make sure what she was being asked to sacrifice was necessary to save everyone, she in fact was ready to stay. However, another dark lord with ill intent was bent on stealing Kynan's power and that included Maren, once he had possession of cynnwrf, the magical earth sword, he was the strongest of the dark lords and it was with him she must bind in order to save the realms. This first book in an enemies to lovers tale is so cruel, just when she is warming up to her fae lord, an underworlder and accepting her fate, the evil Lord Tiergan comes between them. This book ends at such a crucial time in the slow burning romance, which is so full of heart stopping moments, I just cannot wait to read the 2nd book in this duology. I love that characters from the previous series like Arcturus and Nix make such a lovely appearance.
April 15, 2022
I really enjoyed getting to know Maren and Kynan in Stolen by the Shadow King. While it's part 1 of the Kingdoms of Lore: Underworld duology, it also features all the characters one's come to love from the Kingdoms of Lore series, so if you're already caught up there, you're in for a treat. This one is perfect for anyone looking for a good enemies-to-lovers story packed with all the action, snark, magic, (dark and broody) elves, and strong heroines one can expect from an Alisha Klapheke's novel. The descriptions are beautiful and made me kinda want to visit the Underworld, with all its fantastic views and smells. The rules of the Binding were slowly revealed, and new characters were introduced that I both liked (Ivar — "where does one get one of them?" 😂) and disliked (*cough* Tiergan *cough*). Oddly enough I started paying attention to how the chapters ended, and think that, overall, this wasn't as unputdownable a read as others in the KoL series have been. Still, knowing that this was part of a duology (and that only one main issue/arc was going to get resolved), I'm definitely looking forward to the second part and knowing how the author will tie up the rest of the story. ~ 4 stars
Content:
Sex: none, but there's innuendo, and there are a couple of kissing/making out scenes, with him losing his shirt in the second. With the first kiss, it felt off to me that a witch had "helped" them by casting a spell on their moment.
Language: mostly "gods."
Violence: yes, as expected of Fantasy battles.
Content:
Sex: none, but there's innuendo, and there are a couple of kissing/making out scenes, with him losing his shirt in the second. With the first kiss, it felt off to me that a witch had "helped" them by casting a spell on their moment.
Language: mostly "gods."
Violence: yes, as expected of Fantasy battles.
February 8, 2022
An enthralling story in the Kingdom of Lore: Underworld book by Alisha Klapheke. I'm always thrilled to read another book by Alisha. Each one pulls me in and makes me fall in love with the characters.
Wonderful world building and character development...
Human Witch...DeadSpeaker...Elemental Magic...Sacred Oak...Oracle...Complicated Circumstances...
Mate Bindings...Choices...Courage...Loyalty...Love...Sacrifice...Determination
Within the Kingdom of Lore humans, human witches, elves, and fae live in harmony. When Aury has a vision about the possible end to their realm and the Underworld, Maren takes steps to find answers from the elven Shadow King Kynan. Readers were introduced to Maren in the previous KOL book, but now she's taking the lead in this Underworld series. Maren didn't know that she'd be so tightly bound to the Underworld in her adventurous quest. Maren's character is blatantly honest, yet humble; she possesses a deep, true beauty. There is no end to Maren's love and devotion for her newfound family. Kynan will do anything to save his world and his people. He possesses such depth to his love. The interaction between Maren and Kynan was witty, funny, sweet, just all the feels. Together, and with friends, they'll face enemies to save everything. Will the sacrifice be enough?
"From one place to the next."
"Live bright as flame and free as air."
Be prepared for a cliffhanger ending...that being said, I'm anxiously awaiting the next book.
Wonderful world building and character development...
Human Witch...DeadSpeaker...Elemental Magic...Sacred Oak...Oracle...Complicated Circumstances...
Mate Bindings...Choices...Courage...Loyalty...Love...Sacrifice...Determination
Within the Kingdom of Lore humans, human witches, elves, and fae live in harmony. When Aury has a vision about the possible end to their realm and the Underworld, Maren takes steps to find answers from the elven Shadow King Kynan. Readers were introduced to Maren in the previous KOL book, but now she's taking the lead in this Underworld series. Maren didn't know that she'd be so tightly bound to the Underworld in her adventurous quest. Maren's character is blatantly honest, yet humble; she possesses a deep, true beauty. There is no end to Maren's love and devotion for her newfound family. Kynan will do anything to save his world and his people. He possesses such depth to his love. The interaction between Maren and Kynan was witty, funny, sweet, just all the feels. Together, and with friends, they'll face enemies to save everything. Will the sacrifice be enough?
"From one place to the next."
"Live bright as flame and free as air."
Be prepared for a cliffhanger ending...that being said, I'm anxiously awaiting the next book.
September 2, 2022
I like Maren as the FMC. She's rough around the edges but she tries to show kindness to everyone around her who deserves it, she doesn't take her kidnapping out on others and I love the found family aspect with her friends and their significant others. After being kidnapped she continues to fight in anyway she knows how. It's an interesting read and I look forward to the rest of the series.
Reasons why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 (Spoilers)
-It's mentioned she's 18 in the beginning of the book, while the MMC is (at minimum) 500 years old. I was done with this ancient male love interest and nearly a child female main character trope many years ago and it just feels worse the older I get. There is a part where he mentions he has seen her before, "just past womanhood" where she appeared younger which is confusing because she's only 18? So he was interested in her when she was, what, 16? 15? Gross. Did not like that at all. With all her life experiences, with what she has gone through it would make much more sense for her to be in her mid to late 20's, and what reason would the author have to writing her so young? For what?
-The scene where he uses his shadows to take her voice away and to hold her immobile felt like (for me) crossing a line I'm not sure I would ever be able to come back from. It was abusive, and I almost stopped reading there.
Reasons why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 (Spoilers)
-It's mentioned she's 18 in the beginning of the book, while the MMC is (at minimum) 500 years old. I was done with this ancient male love interest and nearly a child female main character trope many years ago and it just feels worse the older I get. There is a part where he mentions he has seen her before, "just past womanhood" where she appeared younger which is confusing because she's only 18? So he was interested in her when she was, what, 16? 15? Gross. Did not like that at all. With all her life experiences, with what she has gone through it would make much more sense for her to be in her mid to late 20's, and what reason would the author have to writing her so young? For what?
-The scene where he uses his shadows to take her voice away and to hold her immobile felt like (for me) crossing a line I'm not sure I would ever be able to come back from. It was abusive, and I almost stopped reading there.
May 8, 2022
DNF 15%
I didn't like the main character. She summoned the king without a plan, then tried to run away when he showed up. He took her to the underworld and again she tried to run away before talking to him about the vision. I was annoyed by her attitude. The king started to explain the underworld to her and she cut him off saying we aren't all idiots up there. But the only thing she knew about the underworld was what her friends told her just after she tried to summon the king. The end of the world is approaching and she is angry about losing clothes that her friend gave her. Where is her perspective and intelligence?
I would have liked to see the author establish competence in Maren's role as dead speaker; explain what she does and why the servants were rude to her. Maren should have done some research and come up with a plan (along with input from her friends about what the vision could mean). I would have been on board with her trying to escape if the king snatched her unexpectedly and broke her wand in the abduction instead of freaking out after she summoned him.
I also read in other reviews that the story just ends on a cliffhanger. I can accept setting up the next story, but there still has to be a resolution for me to feel like I read a complete book.
I didn't like the main character. She summoned the king without a plan, then tried to run away when he showed up. He took her to the underworld and again she tried to run away before talking to him about the vision. I was annoyed by her attitude. The king started to explain the underworld to her and she cut him off saying we aren't all idiots up there. But the only thing she knew about the underworld was what her friends told her just after she tried to summon the king. The end of the world is approaching and she is angry about losing clothes that her friend gave her. Where is her perspective and intelligence?
I would have liked to see the author establish competence in Maren's role as dead speaker; explain what she does and why the servants were rude to her. Maren should have done some research and come up with a plan (along with input from her friends about what the vision could mean). I would have been on board with her trying to escape if the king snatched her unexpectedly and broke her wand in the abduction instead of freaking out after she summoned him.
I also read in other reviews that the story just ends on a cliffhanger. I can accept setting up the next story, but there still has to be a resolution for me to feel like I read a complete book.
February 23, 2022
Stolen by the Shadow King is a Hades & Persephone re-imagining, or maybe Beauty & the Beast for those not familiar with Greek gods.
I'm pretty sure this is my first read from this author.
The story is super fast paced and sort of clunky. The world building didn't meet my expectations, it was difficult to get a picture.. I couldn't see what/where I needed to.
Maren is a decent character, she makes friends easily and isn't afraid to say she's scared. Maren is an easy character to connect with. Kynan is okay as well.. what you'd expect from a High King. A bit stuffy, not much fun, but attractive.
I felt the romance was lacking, even for a Fated Mates type story, and what was there was either because of the "shadow lure" or of similar nature.
It's on the upper side of YA, meaning it has some slight steam and a couple innuendo remarks, but the characters stop before they get too far in anything active.
It ends on a sort of cliff hanger, with Maren making a decision for the greater good of the realms. I'm tempted to see how Maren escapes or deals with her life with the Shadow Lord.
I'm pretty sure this is my first read from this author.
The story is super fast paced and sort of clunky. The world building didn't meet my expectations, it was difficult to get a picture.. I couldn't see what/where I needed to.
Maren is a decent character, she makes friends easily and isn't afraid to say she's scared. Maren is an easy character to connect with. Kynan is okay as well.. what you'd expect from a High King. A bit stuffy, not much fun, but attractive.
I felt the romance was lacking, even for a Fated Mates type story, and what was there was either because of the "shadow lure" or of similar nature.
It's on the upper side of YA, meaning it has some slight steam and a couple innuendo remarks, but the characters stop before they get too far in anything active.
It ends on a sort of cliff hanger, with Maren making a decision for the greater good of the realms. I'm tempted to see how Maren escapes or deals with her life with the Shadow Lord.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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