{"id":31872,"date":"2025-07-08T10:06:58","date_gmt":"2025-07-08T14:06:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/?p=31872"},"modified":"2025-07-08T10:08:10","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T14:08:10","slug":"review-realm-of-thieves-by-karina-halle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/2025\/07\/08\/review-realm-of-thieves-by-karina-halle\/","title":{"rendered":"Review \u2764\ufe0f Realm of Thieves by Karina Halle"},"content":{"rendered":"<!--themify_builder_content-->\n<div id=\"themify_builder_content-31872\" data-postid=\"31872\" class=\"themify_builder_content themify_builder_content-31872 themify_builder tf_clear\">\n    \t\t\t<!-- module_row -->\n\t<div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_4qeb95 tb_first tf_w tf_clearfix\">\n\t    \t\t\t<div class=\"row_inner col_align_top gutter-narrow tb_col_count_2 tf_box tf_rel\">\n\t\t            <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col3-1 tb_nv2695 first\">\n                                                        <div class=\"tb-column-inner tf_box tf_w\">\n                        <!-- module image -->\n<div  class=\"module module-image tb_1bxc95 rounded drop-shadow customBorderRad_top image-center auto_fullwidth tf_mw\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div class=\"image-wrap tf_rel tf_mw\">\n\t\t    <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"987\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/the-realm-of-thieves-karina-halle.jpg?resize=640%2C987&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-31873\" title=\"the-realm-of-thieves-karina-halle\" alt=\"the-realm-of-thieves-karina-halle\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/the-realm-of-thieves-karina-halle.jpg?w=973&amp;ssl=1 973w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/the-realm-of-thieves-karina-halle.jpg?resize=195%2C300&amp;ssl=1 195w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/the-realm-of-thieves-karina-halle.jpg?resize=664%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 664w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/the-realm-of-thieves-karina-halle.jpg?resize=768%2C1184&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/the-realm-of-thieves-karina-halle.jpg?resize=400%2C616&amp;ssl=1 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/>\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<!-- \/image-wrap -->\n    \n    \t<\/div>\n<!-- \/module image --><!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_7ws895 customBorderRad_bottom repeat \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n    <p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">For Brynla Aihr, crime and survival have always gone hand in hand. Ever since she escaped the fanatical dragon-worshipping cult that controls her homeland, she\u2019s had to carve out a life doing the unthinkable: stealing dragon eggs. Egg theft is illegal and, in most cases, fatal. To breach a dragon\u2019s nest means a harrowing journey through the ancient wards spelled to keep the monstrous beasts confined. Dragons can\u2019t get out and only those with a death wish can get in.<\/span><br \/><br \/><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Despite the risks, dragon eggs are highly coveted for their magic. An illegal trade flourishes under competing criminal empires, and Brynla\u2019s loyalty has always been to the highest bidder. Until she finds herself kidnapped and blackmailed by Lord Andor, a formidable lieutenant of House Kolbeck, and thrust into the dangerous political games of rivaling dynasties.<\/span><br \/><br \/><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Brynla and Andor clash at every turn, sparking heat in ways Brynla\u2019s never felt before. But in a world that\u2019s prophesized to return to the dragons, and rife with betrayal and secrets at every turn\u2026how close to the flames is she willing to stand?<\/span><\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->                    <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col3-2 tb_mudw95 last\">\n                                                        <div class=\"tb-column-inner tf_box tf_w\">\n                        <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_9qn695  repeat \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n    <p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16467 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/3_5-hearts-1.jpg?resize=146%2C44&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"146\" height=\"44\" \/><\/p><hr \/><p><strong>Release Date:<\/strong> Jun 10, 2025<br \/><strong>Series:<\/strong> <em>Thieves of Dragemor<br \/><\/em><strong>Book:\u00a0<\/strong>1<br \/><strong>Heat Level:<\/strong> Sensual<br \/><strong>Publisher:<\/strong>\u00a0Penguin Group<br \/><strong>Imprint:<\/strong> Ace\u00a0<br \/><strong>Price:<\/strong> $12.99<\/p><hr \/><p>\u00a0<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><em>A romantasy that subverted expectations and genre thoughts.<\/em><\/strong><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This is my first Halle novel. I\u2019m not sure if I\u2019ll invest more in this series, and I\u2019ll explain more below. Let\u2019s start with this being more romance than fantasy. So, if you like romantasy because of the fantasy-driven plot, you may find yourself wondering why the plot is a bit all over the place.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">From a romance aspect, this story hits the mark. Andor, our black sheep middle son, who has to do dangerous dragon-blood capture for his family, and Brynla, the daughter of rebels and a thief, who is able to somehow survive the dangerous Midlands without magical powers. Okay, even I know that\u2019s a lot, I will say Halle does an excellent job of world-building and creating an immersive fantasy realm complete with religious, political, and magical elements, though very complicated.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pacing, setting, and the progression of the romance were successfully executed, and I enjoyed the way Andor and Brynla\u2019s relationship evolved. Even though Andor kidnaps Brynla to start&#8230; and maybe blackmails her. Their origins are dark, but they quickly evolve. My issue with their relationship is that Andor often has some remarks that imply a more kinky direction that never evolves.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Moving to the fantasy side of things, this is where the story is a bit of a mess. From Brynla and Andor\u2019s motivations to the plot twists thrown in, often the reason they were happening was a bit weak. The stakes are not very high in this story, and they are ultimately each driven by their own expectations, they feel other people have for them or that they have for themselves. The back half of the book progressed in surprising ways and left me with more questions than answers. In the end, I felt like there were a couple of holes that were never resolved, and I only hope that the second book in the series ties everything together.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">If you like a good romance set in a magical world, this one is for you. If you\u2019re looking for something more plot-driven outside of the romance, may I recommend Kit Rocha\u2019s <strong>Bound to Fire<\/strong> and <strong>Steal Duet.<\/strong><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>~ Landra<\/em><\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text --><!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_nmqy95 customBorderRad repeat \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n    <p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/409Qe3o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Amazon<\/a><\/span><span class=\"s2\">\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/apple.co\/4nykD5z\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"s3\">iBooks<\/span><\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/realm-of-thieves-karina-halle\/1145939877?ean=9780593819838\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"s3\">B&amp;N<\/span><\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kobo.com\/us\/en\/ebook\/realm-of-thieves\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"s3\">Kobo<\/span><\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/books\/details\/Karina_Halle_Realm_of_Thieves?id=bpQREQAAQBAJ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"s3\">Google Play<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->                    <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n            \t    <\/div>\n\t    <!-- \/row_inner -->\n\t<\/div>\n\t<!-- \/module_row -->\n\t<\/div>\n<!--\/themify_builder_content-->\n\n\n<p class=\"\"><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For Brynla Aihr, crime and survival have always gone hand in hand. Ever since she escaped the fanatical dragon-worshipping cult that controls her homeland, she\u2019s had to carve out a life doing the unthinkable: <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":31873,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[570,112,128,48,1],"tags":[148,571],"class_list":["post-31872","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ace","category-landra","category-penguin-group","category-reviews","category-uncategorized","tag-3-5-stars","tag-romantasy"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Review \u2764\ufe0f Realm of Thieves by Karina Halle - Smitten by Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/2025\/07\/08\/review-realm-of-thieves-by-karina-halle\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Review \u2764\ufe0f Realm of Thieves by Karina Halle - Smitten by Books\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"For Brynla Aihr, crime and survival have always gone hand in hand. 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Ever since she escaped the fanatical dragon-worshipping cult that controls her homeland, she\u2019s had to carve out a life doing the unthinkable: stealing dragon eggs. Egg theft is illegal and, in most cases, fatal. To breach a dragon\u2019s nest means a harrowing journey through the ancient wards spelled to keep the monstrous beasts confined. Dragons can\u2019t get out and only those with a death wish can get in.<br \/><br \/>Despite the risks, dragon eggs are highly coveted for their magic. An illegal trade flourishes under competing criminal empires, and Brynla\u2019s loyalty has always been to the highest bidder. Until she finds herself kidnapped and blackmailed by Lord Andor, a formidable lieutenant of House Kolbeck, and thrust into the dangerous political games of rivaling dynasties.<br \/><br \/>Brynla and Andor clash at every turn, sparking heat in ways Brynla\u2019s never felt before. But in a world that\u2019s prophesized to return to the dragons, and rife with betrayal and secrets at every turn\u2026how close to the flames is she willing to stand?<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/3_5-hearts-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"146\" height=\"44\" \/><\/p><hr \/><p><strong>Release Date:<\/strong> Jun 10, 2025<br \/><strong>Series:<\/strong> <em>Thieves of Dragemor<br \/><\/em><strong>Book:\u00a0<\/strong>1<br \/><strong>Heat Level:<\/strong> Sensual<br \/><strong>Publisher:<\/strong>\u00a0Penguin Group<br \/><strong>Imprint:<\/strong> Ace\u00a0<br \/><strong>Price:<\/strong> $12.99<\/p><hr \/><p>\u00a0<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><em>A romantasy that subverted expectations and genre thoughts.<\/em><\/strong><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This is my first Halle novel. I\u2019m not sure if I\u2019ll invest more in this series, and I\u2019ll explain more below. Let\u2019s start with this being more romance than fantasy. So, if you like romantasy because of the fantasy-driven plot, you may find yourself wondering why the plot is a bit all over the place.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">From a romance aspect, this story hits the mark. Andor, our black sheep middle son, who has to do dangerous dragon-blood capture for his family, and Brynla, the daughter of rebels and a thief, who is able to somehow survive the dangerous Midlands without magical powers. Okay, even I know that\u2019s a lot, I will say Halle does an excellent job of world-building and creating an immersive fantasy realm complete with religious, political, and magical elements, though very complicated.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pacing, setting, and the progression of the romance were successfully executed, and I enjoyed the way Andor and Brynla\u2019s relationship evolved. Even though Andor kidnaps Brynla to start... and maybe blackmails her. Their origins are dark, but they quickly evolve. My issue with their relationship is that Andor often has some remarks that imply a more kinky direction that never evolves.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Moving to the fantasy side of things, this is where the story is a bit of a mess. From Brynla and Andor\u2019s motivations to the plot twists thrown in, often the reason they were happening was a bit weak. The stakes are not very high in this story, and they are ultimately each driven by their own expectations, they feel other people have for them or that they have for themselves. The back half of the book progressed in surprising ways and left me with more questions than answers. In the end, I felt like there were a couple of holes that were never resolved, and I only hope that the second book in the series ties everything together.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">If you like a good romance set in a magical world, this one is for you. If you\u2019re looking for something more plot-driven outside of the romance, may I recommend Kit Rocha\u2019s <strong>Bound to Fire<\/strong> and <strong>Steal Duet.<\/strong><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>~ Landra<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/409Qe3o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Amazon<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/apple.co\/4nykD5z\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">iBooks<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/realm-of-thieves-karina-halle\/1145939877?ean=9780593819838\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">B&amp;N<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kobo.com\/us\/en\/ebook\/realm-of-thieves\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kobo<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/books\/details\/Karina_Halle_Realm_of_Thieves?id=bpQREQAAQBAJ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google Play<\/a><\/strong><\/p>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31872","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31872"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31872\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31881,"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31872\/revisions\/31881"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31873"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31872"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31872"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smittenbybooks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31872"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}