The Stolen Throne is book two of the Dominions series by Abigail Owen and like book one, this one ends on a bit of a cliff so be prepared if you pick this one up. With that said, I'm glad I got to dive back into this world and see where things went for the characters.

Book two picks up right where book one left off. Meren is trapped in Eidolon's clutches after having gotten Reven and Tabra out. The only good thing is that despite him trying, Eidolon can't really control Meren as he did Tabra. There's more on just why that is in the book but it's a pretty big plot point so I'm not going to give it away. Quickly into the first chapters though, Reven and Cain decide they are going to go get Meren out and from there, we get deeper into what Eidolon is really trying to do and the history of the Goddesses.

I thought Owens did a great job of continuing this story. Sometimes a second book can feel like filler but this was not the case at all. As I mentioned, there is a lot going on in this one. From trying to save Tabra, learning more about the amulets and Goddesses, and of course (one of my favorite pieces) building out more of Reven and Meren's relationship. There is plenty of conflict and action to go along with the story and as I mentioned, there is a bit of a cliffhanger at the end.

Overall, I enjoyed this second book of the series and will definitely be picking up the next one to see what happens with these characters. If you're looking for a YA series to pick up, definitely consider this one.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

Oh God...that ending!!!

I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy of Sweet Black Waves by Kristina Perez. The cover is amazing, and the summary told me everything I needed to know. There’s magic and a forbidden relationship…sounds perfect to me. It is inspired by the story of Tristan and Iseult and focuses on the main character, Branwen. No spoilers here…I promise.

I love a story where I can feel a connection with the characters and Sweet Black Waves did this for me. There were so many great characters in this book and I really liked the main character, Branwen. She is the niece to the King and Queen of Iveriu and cousin / lady’s maid to Princess Eseult (Essy). The death of Branwen’s parents has definitely shaped and influenced her throughout the years and while she still grieves them, their deaths have made her strong. Branwen’s main motivator is always to protect the people she loves as well as bring peace to Iveriu and when a strange man washes up on the shore, she makes the choice to save him, which is the beginning of a story that had me turning the pages to see what was going to happen next.

The man who washes up on the shore happens to be Tristan, the nephew to the King of Kernyv. Of course, Branwen doesn’t know who he is, she only knows he is one of the raiders that continue to attack them and despite that, she does everything she can to heal him. Tristan is one of those characters that I just couldn’t help but love. He is a risk taker and even though he didn’t know for sure who Branwen was when he left, he had an idea. And like Branwen, he wants peace between Iveriu and Kernyv. His plan is to win the tournament to align them with the marriage of his uncle and Essy. He also loves Branwen so having them in Kernyv is definitely a good thing for him. I loved how Perez built the relationship between Tristan and Branwen. Starting out as enemies and slowly building a level of trust and ultimately more - It was because of that, the last few chapters killed me.

Of course, the story doesn’t just involve Branwen and Tristan. There are so many characters but I especially loved Branwen’s relationship with Queen Eseult. Not only is she teaching her the ways of the Old Ones and her magic, she is also very much her mother figure throughout. When Essy can’t see past her problems and blames her mother, Branwen is usually the one to jump in and try to make peace between them. And as the story builds around Essy’s potential marriage, things get even more complicated. I first have to say, Essy drove me nuts. Yes, I get it. She didn’t get to have a choice in who she married but she was so angry and took it out on everyone around her. She also came across as somewhat selfish. I don’t doubt that she loved Branwen, but her decisions revolved mostly around what she wanted without thinking about any consequences.

Outside of the characters, the writing is done in such a way that I was pulled completely into this book. Perez has developed a beautiful and dangerous world these characters live in and when you add in the magical aspect, it was even more interesting.


I can’t really say too much more about the details of the book without potentially ruining any part of the story and I don’t want to do that to anyone. Just know that this book has some great characters, a wonderful story, and so much swoon and heartbreak. I’m not kidding – the ending of this book ripped my heart out and even though I could feel it coming, it still hurt. Despite that, I think everyone should read this lovely and amazing book. I’ll just sit over here waiting for the next book in this series so I can find out what happens next. Make sure you get this on your TBR and pick it up when you can.

Thank you to the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.