Title: Reign of Shadows
Author: Sophie Jordan
Release Date: February 9th 2016
Publisher: Harper Teen
Source: Tour
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult
I received a review copy courtesy of the author/publisher. This does not affect my opinion or views regarding the book whatsoever.
Seventeen years ago, an eclipse cloaked the kingdom of Relhok in perpetual darkness. In the chaos, an evil chancellor murdered the king and queen and seized their throne. Luna, Relhok’s lost princess, has been hiding in a tower ever since. Luna’s survival depends on the world believing she is dead.
But that doesn’t stop Luna from wanting more. When she meets Fowler, a mysterious archer braving the woods outside her tower, Luna is drawn to him despite the risk. When the tower is attacked, Luna and Fowler escape together. But this world of darkness is more treacherous than Luna ever realized.
With every threat stacked against them, Luna and Fowler find solace in each other. But with secrets still unspoken between them, falling in love might be their most dangerous journey yet.
With lush writing and a star–crossed romance, Reign of Shadows is Sophie Jordan at her best.
MY THOUGHTS
Here I thought this was going to be an amazing story. But man was I wrong! I hate to write DNF reviews but it has to be done. Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan was meh for me. I was not immediately engaged with this story. I couldn’t take the idiocy of the female main character Luna and the sluggishly slow pace of the story!!!
In this story there are two main characters. Luna and Fowler.
Luna (insert eye rolling here) I’m sorry I just couldn’t for the life of me deal with her. I understand she’s in hiding and stuck in a tower all her life. She has a disability. But with that disability she’s still able to do all this things that a regular person could. So why is it that you can teach her ALL this things but NOT teach her to be less, oh I don’t know!!! Naïve???? Needy??? Smart??? Think before you react???
For however many years she was stuck in this tower. She has never meet any other people besides her 2 caretakers and when she finally meets Fowler. She was instantly attracted to him? Well more on the border of obsession! You know the guy for nearly for a few hours!!!!! Get it together!
Fowler, he was a likeable character he was realistic and honest. He was pretty much the reason why I read what I did. I really liked his story and enjoyed it. He was everything I wanted Luna to be. Too bad it didn’t worded out that way.
I only got half way thru this book but from what I read there was no such thing as world-building!!! All I got was a tower and trees. No more, no less… I mean I get that I didn’t read a lot but it was enough. To me a story has to start off with a bang. Some back story some details and of course let’s not forget WORLD BUILDING!!! These few key pieces are important and will engage me and keep me hooked to the story.
My other issue with this book besides Luna and information was the beginning. I’m a lover of animals, I love them all dearly and I understand the concept of circle of life. But I just couldn’t deal with a part where Luna was sitting at her window. She sat there and listened to the animals running into their hiding holes away from the horrible creatures of the night. Well apparently one little animal couldn’t run fast enough and was captured and killed by a creature and for special effect.
we hear/read whichever. The wonderful sounds of tearing flesh. Because we need to emphasize and focus attention on this import part of the story!!!!
Like I said I understand the circle of life. I think 90% of the world understand how it works. But I just didn’t need to read that right at the beginning of a story and put me in a not so great mood. It set a bad feeling for me. Which set the tone for the book.
The overall is that I was incredibly discouraged. A lot of people kept talking about it and how they liked it and to give it another try. But I have to say, don’t want to, if you can’t redeem yourself by 40% of the story than I am sorry. I just can’t waste my time on you. I have tons of books to read and not a lot of time to do it in. So I must DNF. It sadness me because I never read anything by Sophie Jordan and was looking forward to finally read something. But was miserably disappointed.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sophie Jordan took her adolescent daydreaming one step further and penned her first historical romance in the back of her high school Spanish class. This passion led her to pursue a degree in English and History.
A brief stint in law school taught her that case law was not nearly as interesting as literature – teaching English seemed the natural recourse. After several years teaching high school students to love Antigone, Sophie resigned with the birth of her first child and decided it was time to pursue the long-held dream of writing.
In less than three years, her first book, Once Upon A Wedding Night, a 2006 Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Nominee for Best First Historical, hit book shelves. Her second novel, Too Wicked To Tame, released in March 2007 with a bang, landing on the USA Today Bestseller List.
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Helena B
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Sounds like Luna is a character I wouldn’t really like that much. I will say I am happy with all the Tangled gifs in your review though 🙂 Sorry this one didn’t work for you!
Grace @ Rebel Mommy Book Blog recently posted…Rebel Mommy Right Now (2)
Haha thank you I love Gifs. Best way for me to express myself 🙂 But yes, Luna was a bit annoying for me unfortunately. I can’t stand characters that are like her. But I did hear, that she gets better later on in the book. I however have to many books to read and can’t invest my time in something that I’m already not liking. To know if it gets better. Know what I mean? But anywho Thanks so much for stopping by Grace!:) xoxo