The Stolen Kingdom | By Bethany Atazadeh |Book Review
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Title- The Stolen Kingdom (The Stolen Kingdom #1)
Author- Bethany Atazadeh
Publisher- Grace House Press
Genre- Fantasy / Fairytale retelling
Links- Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads
My Rating- ★★★★★
“THE STOLEN KINGDOM is a loose Aladdin retelling. Set in a world that humans share with Mermaids, Dragons, and the elusive Jinni, this isn’t the fairytale you remember…”
Contents
Book Blurb
My Review
About the Author
Book Blurb
How can she protect her kingdom, if she can’t protect herself?
Princess Arie never expected to manifest a Jinni’s Gift. When she begins to hear the thoughts of those around her, she hides it to the best of her ability. But to her dismay, the forbidden Gift is growing out of control.
When a neighboring king tries to force her hand in marriage and steal her kingdom, discovery becomes imminent. Just one slip could cost her throne. And her life.
A lamp, a heist, and a Jinni hunter’s crew of thieves are her only hope for removing this Gift--and she must remove it before she’s exposed. Or die trying.
Fans of fairy tale retellings like The Lunar Chronicles, supernatural fantasy worlds like The Cruel Prince, and stories with a crew of thieves like Six of Crows will be drawn to the romance, tension, and magical surprises of the Jinni and human worlds colliding in Bethany Atazadeh’s The Stolen Kingdom Series.
“What he’d done was forbidden. It broke the Jinni code. But I had no proof; it was a woman’s word against a king’s. His Gift might be weak compared to a full-blooded Jinni, but I stared at him now the way I would eye a cobra. He was deadly. Unpredictable.”
The Stolen Kingdom by Bethany Atazadeh Book Review. Instagram jennys.world.of.fiction
My Review
I am a huge fan of Aladdin, so when I came across this book I had a good feeling and high expectations. I’m happy to report I was not disappointed! I’d describe it as a creative, more in-depth version of Aladdin, but with an all new plot. It has an exciting high stakes plot and all the wonderful Aladdin vibes.
Characters
The characters are easy to get attached to, and I particularly liked the main character Arie. Arie is a princess who has no idea about the outside world but is prepared to do whatever it takes for her Kingdom, for her father, and to keep her abilities hidden. I like how motivated she is and that she has a strong sense of caring.
Gideon was my favourite character. He is a Jinni who doesn’t quite understand humans. He has some cool abilities, and I liked that he also had his own mission going on.
The villain, Amar, is the perfect bad guy. I love his villainous motivation and the way he can manipulate people.
Kadin (Aladdin) and his crew have great dynamics. They had spent years pulling off heists and scams together, and their relationships are done really well. It was fun when Arie was introduced to Kadin’s lot and their different way of life.
Plot
I really enjoyed the plot and binge read this book in a few sittings. It has the original Aladdin theme of ‘boy meets girl in the marketplace’, but with so many more twists and turns! There are Kingdoms in danger, royal balls, people in disguise, a few heists, journeys, Jinni magic, magical beings, and plenty of secrets.
Setting
The setting is filled with Middle Eastern fantasy vibes. There are numerous Kingdoms, exotic foods, and colourful clothes that brings the feeling of a Persian-like culture to life.
Summary
I’d recommend this for fans of Aladdin, or those who enjoy heist stories like Six of Crows.
This is book one in the Stolen Kingdom series, check out the rest of the series for more fairy tale retellings!
Book #2- The Jinni Key- Little Mermaid retelling
Book #3- The Cursed Hunter- Beauty and the Beast retelling
Book #4- The Enchanted Crown- Sleeping Beauty retelling (Out March 2021!)
The Stolen Kingdom by Bethany Atazadeh
““I’m not looking for a prince!” I snapped at the closed door, kicking at my skirt as I paced. “I’m looking for a sword!””
About the Author- Bethany Atazadeh
Author of the Stolen Kingdom Bethany Atazadeh
Bethany Atazadeh is a Minnesota-based author of YA novels and non-fiction. She graduated from Northwestern College in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a writing emphasis. After graduation, she pursued songwriting, recording, and performing with her band, and writing was no longer a priority. But in 2016, she was inspired by the NaNoWriMo challenge to write a novel in 30 days, and since then she hasn’t stopped. With her degree, she coaches other writers on both YouTube and Patreon, helping them publish their books. She is obsessed with stories, chocolate, and her corgi puppy, Penny.
Check out Bethany Atazadeh’s Website
Buy The Stolen Kingdom
About the reviewer- Jenny sandiford
Hi I’m Jenny. I am passionate about promoting new authors and sharing any amazing books I find with the world. I am a book blogger, bookstagrammer, YA fantasy writer and travel writer.
I’m also a lover of nature, hiking, Harry Potter, cats, fantasy lands and quiet places.
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