The Stolen Kingdom    by Jillian Boehme Order:  USA  Can Tor, 2021 (2021) Hardcover, e-Book     Reviewed by Hilary Williamson Jillian Boehme's The Stolen Kingdom is a YA fantasy, that propels young Maralyth Graylaern into becoming the figurehead for a rebellion against the king of Perin Faye. Once a prosperous kingdom, it has changed dramatically since the Thungraves stole power a century before by use of forbidden blood magic. Mara is the daughter of a vintner. She dearly loves her Poppa and brother Nestar but chafes under the role expected of her as a woman - in the kitchen. She (secretly) uses the magical talent she inherited from he mother to whisper the grapes to 'ripen plump and juicy.' After a rebel agent discovers her magic, kidnaps her, and delivers her to Lord Ogden Nelgareth, he reveals that her mother was a descendant of the previous kings. Nelgareth forces Mara to cooperate in his planned coup by threatening her family. Alac Thungrave, the king's second son, fears the dark magic that has given his family power, but that changes each king and heir - for the worse. He would like nothing more than to be a vintner. His father believes that only the Thungraves can contain the black magic and safeguard the kingdom from it, but Alac wonders. When Nelgareth brings Mara to the capital, posing as his ward, she and Alac are instantly attracted to one another. But the first act of the planned coup will be to kill all the Thungraves. Read The Stolen Kingdom to find out how this is resolved, and how Mara and Alac find a way to work together to defeat the dark magic released by the coup before it destroys everything in its path. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Teens books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews