Meren is a princess of the desert-based land of Aryd. While normally a princess is destined to become Queen some day, Meren’s fate is a tad different. It is actually her twin sister, Tabra, who is poised to become Queen. Tabra is raised in the palace while Meren comes to visit her in secret, while training to take Tabra’s place should anything happen to her – including sacrificing her own life to save her. But when Meren is kidnapped on her way to a coronation ceremony as a stand in, business as usual is disrupted. The Liar’s Crown by Abigail Owen is a fantasy adventure in which one princess’s capture leads to a discovery that could change the trajectory of history as she knows it, and give her her own sense of freedom in the process. 

Meren has never lived her own life. She’s always lived in secret, in a small underpopulated region near her family’s land with no one knowing her true identity. Only her sister and her grandmother’s sister – the current Queen’s twin and body double who cares for her and trains her for her role as stand in – know the truth. Readers might ask – why the ruse? Why must one twin remain in hiding while the other lives as an only child in luxury? Well, the ageless King Eidolon of Tyndra has a tendency to kill the Queens of Aryd. In order to maintain control of the throne, the twin takes her place, with no one being the wiser. With Meren and Tabra, everything was going as planned. But then, a mysterious shadow creature kidnaps her and takes her across lands she’s only learned about. Thus begins Meren’s unplanned and uninformed adventure.

Eventually Meren’s captor reveals his name – Reven – but that’s about it. He has mysterious powers that enable him to control shadows, allowing him to travel in secret and defend himself against any threats. However, as readers get to know Reven in The Liar’s Crown, we learn that there is more to him than meets the eye. He has important reasons for stealing the princess (even if he doesn’t know it’s the wrong one – or even that there is a wrong one), and he’s not as in control of his powers as we initially believe. Plus, the attraction they inevitably feel towards each other leads to a slow burn that will have readers yearning for the next steamy scene. 

I really enjoyed The Liar’s Crown. Owen’s ability for worldbuilding adds to the epic adventure that Meren finds herself on. I could easily picture each land – named for their climate – and the troubles their inhabitants face accordingly. The political themes also add to the drama and stakes the characters face. I also thought the idea of having a generational history for twins in the family line was fun and original – even more so when one twin is destined to live in hiding and fill in when danger is near. The book is longer than most YA novels but none of it was unnecessary. I recommend this one for fantasy adventure lovers – you won’t regret it. 

Abigail Owen becomes the next guest on The Nerd Cantina Show podcast for a Cantina Conversation. We talk about her writing process for developing the world and characters, and plans for the next book. Keep an ear out for the interview and preorder The Liar’s Crown, available August 30.