The Thief's Daughter by Jeff Wheeler

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Content: Clean


Owen Kiskaddon first came to the court of the formidable King Severn as a prisoner, winning favor with the stormy monarch by masquerading as a boy truly blessed by the Fountain. Nine years hence, the once-fearful Owen has grown into a confident young man, mentored in battle and politics by Duke Horwath and deeply in love with his childhood friend, the duke’s granddaughter. But the blissful future Owen and Elysabeth Mortimer anticipate seems doomed by the king’s machinations.

A pretender to Severn’s throne has vowed to seize the crown of Kingfountain. But Severn means to combat the threat by using Elysabeth as bait to snare the imposter—and forcing Owen, as a pawn in the dangerous charade, to choose between duty and devotion. With poisoners and spies circling ominously, and war looming on the horizon, Owen must make painful sacrifices to beat back the advancing shadows of death and disaster. Will Owen’s conflicted heart follow the king’s path or will he risk everything for love?

This was a great follow up to The Queen's Poisoner. I think one thing that I find really appealing about this series is that it can be read by multiple ages and still enjoyed. I like how easy this author's book are to read. They are perfect for when I want to read fantasy, but not something too heavy. The only negative is that I think Wheeler tends to tell instead of show a little too much sometimes. However, I really do like the characters and the world building. The characters are all so easy to become invested in, and the villains are not so clear cut. There are multiple layers to these characters. It will be interesting to see how the different relationships develop in future books. Overall this was really good. The ending broke my heart, but it also made me want to read more.