I am looking forward to reading more books by Maxym Martineau. Kingdom of Exiles is her debut novel and her love of video games definitely impacts the setting and story. Leena is a Charmer, which means she has the ability to charm beasts and keep them in her bestiary (another realm) to come when called. AS a 40-something parent of boys, I immediately flashed back to years of sorting Pokemon cards and having Pokemon TV shows on in the background. Except Martineau brings the idea to life in a romance/fantasy novel designed for adult readers. That said, it wasn't very steamy, but there was a lot of angst. The magical beasts were great; I want to be able to charm magical beasts! The other half of the romance is Noc, an assassin leader of a group called the Cruor. Noc is cursed and hopeful that the deal he makes with Leena will help him break the curse. Of course they have to go on a quest with 3 more comrades as they search for specific magical beasts. And on this journey, sparks fly.
I think this series has a lot of promise. The author has created a world rich with characters and possibility and has started building backstories that I'm sure will come into play in later books. I thought the beginning of the book was more engaging than the end. The end felt rushed; it definitely could have been longer. I think as Martineau gets further in the series it will be easier to get more focused into the individual stories. I will definitely keep reading this series.
Thanks to the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I think this series has a lot of promise. The author has created a world rich with characters and possibility and has started building backstories that I'm sure will come into play in later books. I thought the beginning of the book was more engaging than the end. The end felt rushed; it definitely could have been longer. I think as Martineau gets further in the series it will be easier to get more focused into the individual stories. I will definitely keep reading this series.
Thanks to the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.