The Hidden Crown: The Return of Magic: Book I

By: K.E. Blair

Narrated by: Danni Deguire

Trapped in her life as a servant in a magicless kingdom, Anslee yearns for the freedom she felt roaming the woods as a child. Convinced marrying a nobleman is her only way out, she should be ecstatic when she catches the eye of new-in-town Lord Avery Varrock. But this lord has brought more than riches to town - and his revelations will turn Anslee's life upside down.

When she finds the kingdom’s hidden crown – one with a hefty reward for returning it – the crown calls to her with magic that she swore didn’t exist. Anslee must find the courage to face the truth she has uncovered – or return to her hidden life.

Facing dangerous shadow beasts, lies and half-truths, set amidst dazzling palace balls, moody woods and woefully banal corridors, Anslee’s world becomes one where shadows are best left untouched and crowns should remain hidden.

©2023 K.E. Blair (P)2024 K.E. Blair

Entertaining YA fantasy

The Hidden Crown is an entertaining listen, reminiscent of classic ya fantasy authors like Robin McKinley and Tamora Pierce. The narration perfectly captures the essence of the main character, a naive, young girl who discovers she might be more than just a maid. The story is engaging, with plot twists, hints of magic and romance.

A great debut

The Hidden Crown is a short, fast-paced fantasy novel with a fairytale element. It follows the story of Anslee, a servant in a kingdom without magic. One day, Anslee discovers the kingdom's hidden crown, which has a significant price for its return. The crown's magic calls to her, and she must decide whether to uncover the truth or return to her quiet life.

The world-building in this book is exceptional, keeping the reader engaged and wondering what Anslee will discover.

The audiobook narrator did a fantastic job of bringing the story to life, making it an enjoyable and immersive experience.

Although the book is young adult, I think it's perfect for anyone who loves a good fantasy novel. I rated The Hidden Crown 4 out of 5 stars because I felt that there were areas where the author could expand on the storyline and make the book a bit longer. Nonetheless, it was an excellent debut novel.

I highly recommend The Hidden Crown to anyone looking for a fast-paced, engaging, and magical read.

Enjoyable Fairytale

Overall I enjoyed this story. It wasn’t overly complex and pretty easy to follow the storyline. The twists you definitely see coming because there is a generous amount of foreshadowing or hints about what is really going on. I do plan on reading the next book to see what happens next! The narrator was good but at times I wish she exhibited a little more emotion to match how our MC was feeling.

Forgotten princess

Cute first book in the series. Forgotten Princess, Awakening magic and dark lords, old friends and betrayal.

Great start to a YA romantasy

I was lucky enough to get this gem as an audio arc. I'm late with my review as I finished it last month though 🙃 So here it goes.

This book caught my attention from the beginning. The world building wasn't so much that I got bored but was slow enough that I could picture where we were. It was actually a pretty fast-paced fantasy read and left a pretty big cliff hanger at the end.

I'm definitely going to have to read the 2nd one, and I'm excited to see where this story goes. Also, I think we might have a friends to lovers romance going on, too 🤔

If you like YA or want to dip your toes into fantasy and the world of fae, this is a good starting point. Lots of potential for a new YA romantasy