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Reign of Shadows

(Reign of Shadows #1)

Sophie Jordan (Goodreads Author)

3.66 · Rating details · 7,581 ratings · 1,380 reviews

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 myste ...more

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Kindle Edition, 304 pages

Published February 9th 2016 by Harper Teen

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Jun 23, 2015 Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies rated it did not like it

He was naked.

I inhaled his scent and it was stronger, proof that not a stitch of clothing covered his body. The salt and musk of his skin hit me sharper than before—and something else. Another scent that was indecipherable to me. I felt it as much as I smelled it. It was raw and deep and visceral. My skin almost ached from the presence of it, pulling tight and breaking out into gooseflesh. My stomach knotted like a thousand butterflies were rioting inside me.

This book is a retelling of Rapun

He was naked.

I inhaled his scent and it was stronger, proof that not a stitch of clothing covered his body. The salt and musk of his skin hit me sharper than before—and something else. Another scent that was indecipherable to me. I felt it as much as I smelled it. It was raw and deep and visceral. My skin almost ached from the presence of it, pulling tight and breaking out into gooseflesh. My stomach knotted like a thousand butterflies were rioting inside me.

This book is a retelling of Rapunzel, the difference being that the MC is TSTL (too stupid to live) and succumbs to insta-love despite the fact that she's blind. Truly an amazing feat.

I wanted to hear more about him. I wanted him to talk about his life. I wanted to know about where he came from, what he’d seen, the people, including the girls who had or had not seen him naked.

Sophie Jordan has written historical romances before, and I'm beginning to think she should stick to that genre and not YA fantasy. A book entirely filled with lurve is completely acceptable (and even appreciated) in an HR, not so much in a fantasy.

This book - I don't even know where to start. First of all, it's your standard girl-wants-more-than-her-provincial-life Disney tale meets Bad Boy whom she immediate falls for. There's nothing notable in that. Furthermore, it just plain old doesn't make sense. Within the first page, I was going "wtf," I mean, tell me, does this make any sense to you?

My hearing had long adapted to the darkness.

Like, what does that even mean? Unless there's some special sense in this fantasy world, light doesn't make an appreciable effect on one's ability to hear. That's just sloppy.

Then there's the blindness. Having a main character with such an impairment presents an opportunity to describe how she uses her other senses to survive. This book did not partake of that advantage. Luna is so fucking competent at doing everything. Chopping food. Cooking. She can even sense when she swings a knife.

I reacted without thought. My hand snatched the knife that I used to cut the bread. My fingers circled the hilt unerringly, fitting it perfectly within my grip. It hissed as I swung it, stopping the serrated blade before his throat.

She can walk through a forest perfectly and more competently than one with sight, which would have been perfectly acceptable considering this world is shrouded in darkness, but then there's the fact that she's barely been outside of a stone's throw from the tower where she lives.

She followed close behind me, moving noiselessly. “You walk like you’re part of the night.” The words escaped me like an accusation. It didn’t make sense to me. How could a sightless girl be so proficient at maneuvering this terrain?

I don't mean to question the abilities of the blind. I know that they are capable of many things, but the way this blind character is portrayed in this book is completely unrealistic.

And the romance. Good god, the romance was awful. Luna couldn't stop thinking about Fowler from the moment she met him, and trust me, she has way more important things to think about than how he looks.

“And what of him?” I asked before good sense came over me. “What is he like? I already know he’s tall and strong of form—”

“Aye, his face is fine enough to draw the female eye. Not that there are too many your age left to admire him.”

At that sobering reminder, I pressed my mouth shut. How could I worry about such trivial things when the world was what it was?

No shit.

Luna just never stops. For someone who's never even seen his face, she thinks about him constantly. Gratingly. If romance were an odor, this book could suffocate the reader with it.

My awareness of him burned a path through me. I brushed a stray strand of hair back from my cheek and tried to pretend I didn’t feel his stare. And yet, like an animal aware of something else in its orbit, I knew he was there, watching me, thinking about our last encounter and the truth of my existence.

And it doesn't stop with Luna. Her love interest, Fowler, is yet another lineup in the list of FICTIONAL MALES WHOSE THOUGHT PROCESSES ARE OBVIOUSLY THAT OF A TEENAGED GIRL.

Again, I'm not saying that guys can't feel things. That they can't wonder about their love, that they are incapable of floral words.I'm just saying that this shit is too much, yo.

She reminded me of a flower that used to bloom in Relhok. The scarlet buds once dotted the hills outside Relhok City. They were wrapped up in my earliest recollections, tangled amid memories of sunshine on my skin. The flower had faded from existence a few years after the eclipse, like so many things since then.

*rolls eyes* Pass on this book. ...more

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Aug 27, 2015 Emily May marked it as dnf · review of another edition

Shelves: coverly-love, arc, fantasy, young-adult, 2016

DNF - 35%

I just can't seem to make myself interested in this book. I know if I keep reading I will end up writing another 1-star review - so, really, why bother?

In case you didn't know, Reign of Shadows is a retelling of Rapunzel. It makes some very basic moves towards interesting concepts, such as a world completely in darkness and the fact that the protagonist is (view spoiler), but at 35% in, it still hasn't started to explore them because every scene is dampened by roma ...more

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Feb 24, 2015 Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁ rated it it was ok

Shelves: edelweiss, ya, fantasy, not-your-ordinary-creatures, rabid-reads-reviews, mc-won-t-die

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

Ye gods. I had difficulty with REIGN OF SHADOWS from almost the very first page.

There were issues of clarity:

From high in my perch, I listened. My hearing had long adapted to the darkness.

What does that mean?

Even knowing that Luna lived in a world covered with darkness (b/c seventeen-year eclipse), this gave me pause . . . Eyes adapt to darkness, but ears?

But before too long, I gathered we weren't talking about normal adaptations. We were talking about Daredevil-like ...more

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Aug 29, 2015 Melissa (Ever So Mela) rated it it was ok

Shelves: epic-fantasy, i-had-high-hopes, ya-romance, r2r-or-netgalley

Disclaimer: It has one spoiler which I feel the need to say cause I'm going to rant about it. I'm going to rant about it openly.

Just one question?

Was this supposed to be a full length novel?

Because I don't know about you but reading 300 pages of nothing is not my cuppa. But back to that in a sec.

Have any of you guys ever watched the movie Pitch Black?(On another note, if you haven't you should see it. Really good and Vin Diesel's hawt) Well, this really reminded me of it. Seriously, the sim ...more

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Feb 26, 2018 megs_bookrack rated it liked it

**3.5-stars**

Reign of Shadows was good.

It's a fast-paced, easy read. I made the mistake of reading the reviews before I started it, which I generally try to avoid, and kept waiting for the terribleness to set it.

It didn't for me. I had fun reading this and am not ashamed to admit it. Granted, I didn't go into it expecting Pulitzer Prize for Fiction quality, so maybe that helped.

This is a retelling of Rapunzel, set in a dark world, where a total eclipse of the sun has blocked out all light fo ...more

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Aug 29, 2015 Sarah Elizabeth rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, netgalley-edelweiss, read-2015, fantasy, romance, as, r2r-read, multiple-pov, retelling, male-pov

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)

“This tower isn’t my fate.”

This was an interesting YA fantasy, with a couple of twists that made it a little more special.

Luna was a strong character, and the way she coped with her disability was admirable, if maybe a little unrealistic? (view spoiler) ...more

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Jul 16, 2018 April (Aprilius Maximus) rated it it was ok · review of another edition

The only reason I want to read the second book is because of the wolf dog let's be real ...more

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Jun 24, 2015 Alyssa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016-releases

EDIT (12/17/15) -- Confirmed: Two-book series!

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan
Book One of the Reign of Shadows series
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: February 9, 2016
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss

Summary (from Goodreads):

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 hid ...more

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Jun 26, 2015 Nastassja rated it liked it

Recommends it for: fans of ya fantasy and Sophie Jordan

Shelves: 2016, cover-ecstasy, intiguing-concept, multi-pov, triggers, gives-me-creeps, retellings, abs-alert, cliché, romance-centered

This review is going to be controversial, because I really don't know whether to recommend this book or not. If you read any books by Sophie Jordan, you know her talent is hit or miss kind: you never know whether you will love or hate her book. She writes historical romance, new adult, young adult books, and some of them are really good. But if we separate other genres and leave only young adult for evaluation, we'll notice that it is not her strongest side (I know, because I read all of her ya

We have a retelling of Rapunzel. Our MC Luna is blind (I don't consider it a spoiler, because we'll know she can't see just a few pages into the story). She was born on the day when complete darkness enveloped the kingdom of Relhok. Her parents were killed right away, and Luna - who is also a new queen - was taken away and hidden from enemies. She lives in a tower (just like Rapunzel) with her guardians Sivo and Perla. Of course, Luna dreams of adventures and far away lands, and, of course, her life will change when three strangers will show up on her doorstep.

World-building. It was incomplete and lacked some crucial detail, but I liked the atmosphere of darkness and desperation: cold shivers periodically ran down my spine; the creatures that roam the night are creepy. Imagine a world where something resembling a sun - a midlight - shows only for one hour per day. Rest of the time the world looks like this:

THE ECLIPSE SPANNED all my life. It invaded everything. A deep, seeping blackness that poured into every crack and fissure like pooling blood. The darkness was especially dense outside my tower, sliding like ink to where I stood on the lighted balcony, listening to the hum of hungry insects and animals.

Bats' average size now is four feet tall! And they are relevantly harmless (until you try to eat them and catch up bat fever and then die). The most terrible creatures that roam the world are dwellers. They are human size and bigger, insect-like with tentacles, and have venom that kills, oh, and they eat people. Creepy as hell.
A creature materialized in the night, its body near my height. No hair sprouted anywhere on the gray, dimpled body. Even though its flesh resembled molding clay, I knew its body was dense, composed of sinewy tissue not nearly as yielding as the tender flesh of a human.<...>Its mouth gaped wide, long feelers rising out of its face to taste the air and detect the presence of prey. The eyes were small, dark orbs that saw very little—if anything. But they hunted us just fine without sight, relying on their hearing and those feelers that vibrated like a nest of snakes, seeking us.

The author created intriguing but scary world, and I would gladly enjoy it if not for some issues: how everything living survives without sun? We are told there's almost no green in the world left, vegetation is scarce, but they still exist after 17 years of almost total darkness? How? Why is it not cold everywhere? We are told that it is some kind of a mild cold but not freezing cold. We don't have a complete picture of how things are and most importantly why. It's not enough to create a believable picture. BUT, it is a fantasy book and supposedly author doesn't owe us explanation, though, I wish she did explain some things: it would've made this world more comfortable for my perception and likeness.

Characters. Luna is a blind girl; she can feel the world around:

Sivo claimed that because I had grown up under the mantle of dark, my senses of hearing, touch, taste, and smell were keen. He claimed it was an advantage in this world without light.

She can survive just fine and her abilities partly resemble of a superhero (Daredevil maybe):
“I can see just fine without seeing. Fine enough to cook. To cut anything. Don’t doubt that I can handle myself. Wasn’t it me who brought you here and saved you?”

Fowler. He is aloof, a loner. He already lost too much and doesn't trust people; he keeps his heart locked and does everything to survive in this cold lonely world.
Didn’t she know yet? People you loved, the ones you cared about the most, they all died eventually. No one was spared. When you lost them, everything you had, all of your heart, was lost, too. It crippled you. Left you an empty shell, functioning on instinct alone.

Romance. It was insta-love(ish) but that didn't really bother me. Luna has never interacted with boys her age before Fowler, she is curious about him and, maybe, a little bit charmed by him in the beginning.

I wanted to hear more about him. I wanted him to talk about his life. I wanted to know about where he came from, what he’d seen, the people, including the girls who had or had not seen him naked.

Yes, the naked part is oops, but the guy stood naked before her (it's a pity she couldn't see him), and he practically provoked the girl into thinking about his nakedness after that. Fowler, naughty boy! Then they are forced to travel together and there wasn't any love between them for a long time; gradually friendship was born and only then love.
“So you’re saying that I matter to you?”
A shudder rolled through him that I felt to my very depths. “You matter to me.You’re the only thing that matters anymore.”

I honestly did not mind the romance being a major part of the book, because it was suiting the circumstances. I can imagine, in a world where you can die at any minute, love is a rare gift, and you must seize it if you can. Luna and Fowler did just that. Why to blame them for insta-love?
The world was a merciless place. Hard and cruel. Except when you found someone to trust and love. Life, however fleeting, possessed meaning then.Knowing Fowler and loving him had given my life that meaning. I could always cling to that. I always would. Until the end.

Plot. Why did I leave it for last? Because I am going to rant a little about stupid decisions MCs did and there are going to be minor spoilers, so if you haven't read the book, do not read this part (if you mind miner spoilers). Luna ALWAYS knew that the mad king will look for her: she is an heir to the crown, of course he wants her dead. But her decision in the end to "sacrifice" herself was STUPID.
I would die, but others—so many others—they would live. Is that not what a proper queen would do for her people?
“Absolutely not.”

Fowler, you are a common sense amongst delirium. The girl doesn't understand the usurper is mad. He will kill you, girl, but won't stop killing others, because - attention - HE IS MAD!!! But Luna is dura - which means fool in Russian and rhymes perfectly with her name.

Honestly, I had a bunch of minor claims regarding plot that gradually grew into one big ball: the plot is too rushed and abrupt. One moment we were getting comfortable with some aspects, and then we are plunged into different situation and have to adjust again, only we don't have time for that, because a few moments later we find ourselves in a new environment again. I'd say it was uncomfortable to skip from one place of the plot to another constantly. This book could've been better if it was longer - 300 pages for a fantasy book is not enough to fit all necessary information.

The ending. ONE BIG FAT CLIFFHANGER OF AN ENDING. I thought this book is a standalone; the abrupt ending was a shock for me. Agh, I thing I would've forgotten about this book in a few days if it was a standalone, but now I will wait a year to read the sequel.

All in all, an average fantasy story with pleasant characters but not enough world-building. If you are ok to overlook some flaws and don't mind an insta-love(ish) romance, this book is your next plat du jour.

...more

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Jun 23, 2015 Trina (Between Chapters) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016-favorites, fantasy, 2016, young-adult

Having previously read and enjoyed Uninvited by Sophie Jordan, I was anticipating this upcoming title by her and was thrilled to receive an ARC. I'm not sure why it was sent to me, possibly I entered a giveaway that I forgot about? My opinion on the material of the book was in no way swayed by receiving the ARC copy.

I'm very pleased to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book! There wasn't a single thing I didn't like about it. So far it's my second favorite read of the year. I would definitely r Having previously read and enjoyed Uninvited by Sophie Jordan, I was anticipating this upcoming title by her and was thrilled to receive an ARC. I'm not sure why it was sent to me, possibly I entered a giveaway that I forgot about? My opinion on the material of the book was in no way swayed by receiving the ARC copy.

I'm very pleased to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book! There wasn't a single thing I didn't like about it. So far it's my second favorite read of the year. I would definitely recommend it for YA Fantasy readers! (Or just any Fantasy reader!)

Reign of Shadows is the first book in a duology. It is set in a fantasy world without magic where the land is in a state of perpetual darkness. In short, the plot can be summed up as: The rightful heir to a kingdom has lived her life in hiding and suddenly finds herself in danger of being discovered by the kingdom's new, evil ruler who killed her parents.

Characters
-It's a dual first person POV story with a male and female character. Fowler is kind of a cliche 'guarded tough guy' character, but I still loved him to bits.
-It features a blind protagonist (Luna). This is revealed about 40 pages into the story, but I feel it should be a main selling point. There simply is a lack of representation for any type of disabilities in main characters in YA books.
-Luna is a fantastic, well-rounded character. I felt she was a perfect blend of hopeful naivety and gumption. She had passable skills for her background without being a sudden superstar at anything. She didn't suddenly become a fighter, but she had many other strengths. I particularly liked her moral struggle near the end.

Setting
-I thought it was a unique setting. The ways that people have adapted to the darkness were interesting to me.
-It was very reminiscent of a zombie apocalypse type story. There are monsters in the darkness that eat any human who is caught outside. While they AREN'T zombies in any sense, it lent a familiarity to the story. It was easy to understand and get into.
-Not only was there the threat from the creatures, but also the human threat. Who could you trust in this world? I love this type of survival story. It was exactly my type of book!

Plot
-The action was always moving and things were continuously being revealed to us or to the characters. There was never a dull moment for me.

In short, I loved the characters, the world, and the story. I can't wait for the conclusion!! ...more

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Nov 19, 2015 Stacee rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-in-2015

I really liked the premise of this and was quite eager to read it.

Love love loved Luna and Fowler. They're both strong and compliment each other so well. They both have secrets and it's interesting seeing the decisions because of them. Reading their relationship develop in the crazy world they're in was captivating.

There are a lot of interesting components to the story. While it didn't feel like we got the full background to the world building or what was happening, it is definitely an excellent ...more

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Jan 18, 2017 Aditi rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, harper-collins, friends, my-reviews, fantasy, contemporary-romance

“Real love ought to be more like a tree and less like a flower”

----Mya Robarts

Sophie Jordan, the New York Times bestselling author, has penned a young adult fantasy series called, Reign of Shadows and the first book in the series with the same name is a modern-retelling of the most popular childhood fairy tale, Rapunzel. This story revolves around a teenage heroine who is an orphan royal princess, protected and sheltered by two caring and loyal couple in an abandoned and hidden tower, but thi ...more

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Jul 02, 2015 Aila rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy-magic, arc, romance, very-enjoyable, awesome, netgalley-edelweiss, 2016-release

This review can be found on One Way Or An Author!

I was provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks Harper Collins and Edelweiss!

As always, I am sweeped in by fairy tale retellings. This time we have a story loosely based on Rapunzel, where our main character Luna lives in a world where light is only shown for a couple of hours, leaving it dark the rest of the time. Monsters called “dwellers” plague the area and are predators to the humans. Luna is kept safe in a tower, ...more

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Aug 19, 2015 Kristin Hackett (Merrily Kristin) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Originally posted on Super Space Chick:

Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan is the first book in a series (it’s unconfirmed whether it’s a duology / trilogy or other but it feels like a duology) that is heavily inspired by Rapunzel. I hadn’t originally planned on reading this one until I read positive pre-publication reviews and then the closer I looked at the cover the more I fell in love with it. And of course, once I found out the Rapunzel aspect I couldn’t wait another minute for it! The story Originally posted on Super Space Chick:

Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan is the first book in a series (it’s unconfirmed whether it’s a duology / trilogy or other but it feels like a duology) that is heavily inspired by Rapunzel. I hadn’t originally planned on reading this one until I read positive pre-publication reviews and then the closer I looked at the cover the more I fell in love with it. And of course, once I found out the Rapunzel aspect I couldn’t wait another minute for it! The story follows a girl named Luna who’s spent her life living in a secluded tower due to her complicated royal family history and a boy name Fowler who has a past of his own to contend with. The pair are living in a world where an eclipse occurred 17 years ago and there hasn’t been light since. Humans live in fear of dangerous creatures called Dwellers and bats have grown to four feet in size.

Throughout Reign of Shadows there were plot twists at every turn. I do not want to spoil anything because it was really exciting to discover new things as the story unfolded and I would hate to take that away from anyone. As the story progressed, I developed very strong feelings for these characters. They’re polar opposites and the relationship they form leads to a deep connection. Luna is a unique heroine for several reasons, all of which will not be revealed here. She is not your typical gorgeous lost rightful heir to the throne. Luna is a kind spirit and she makes decisions with her heart even when they might not be the best ones whereas Fowler has lost someone in his past and refuses to allow himself to care for anyone because of how bleak their society is. He’s purely logical in his decision making and despite his rough exterior, he lives by a code of conduct. My heart was racing during the last 50 pages or so of the book and I needed a hug once I finished reading.

I loved seeing all of the parallels to Rapunzel in Regin of Shadows and I’m curious if they’ll continue in the second installment or if it will branch off into even more of its own story, similar to how The Lunar Chronicles handles itself. Sophie Jordan did an incredible job with the worldbuilding and convincing me that this is a society I would never want to experience. I couldn’t imagine the constant feeling of living in fear with little hope that anything will change in the future. The imagery of the forest and the scenes with the Dwellers painted such a clear picture in my mind which doesn’t always happen for me while reading. My only complaint is that while I was initially excited that the book is so short (without acknowledgements it’s under 300 pages), I really wanted more, especially upon reaching the end. The story ends very abruptly with a gut wrenching cliffhanger and I need the second one as soon as possible.

Final Thoughts: Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan is the first book in a fantasy series set in a world which is heavily inspired by Rapunzel. Jordan crafted an enchanting story in a terrifying and bleak society and I couldn’t get enough of it. I have so many feelings for Luna and Fowler and I need them to be together because I am shipping them so hard. Opposites attract and while they could not be more different, each has found their way into my heart. ...more

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Aug 26, 2016 Joanna rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Updated Review 04/22/16:

This time around I decided to give the audiobook a try and I really enjoyed it. I think I may have enjoyed it more . The narrators, Phoebe Strole and James Fouhey, played Luna and Fowler perfectly. With them at the helm I didn't find the beginning so sluggish and the voices for each character was more clearly defined. I remember that being my biggest pet peeve when I came across the first chapter dedicated to Fowler. I couldn't discern that it wasn't only his voice in tha Updated Review 04/22/16:

This time around I decided to give the audiobook a try and I really enjoyed it. I think I may have enjoyed it more . The narrators, Phoebe Strole and James Fouhey, played Luna and Fowler perfectly. With them at the helm I didn't find the beginning so sluggish and the voices for each character was more clearly defined. I remember that being my biggest pet peeve when I came across the first chapter dedicated to Fowler. I couldn't discern that it wasn't only his voice in that section but, in fact, it was his and the voices of two younger characters as well. The audiobook cleared that confusion up really well and I think it gave the start a better opening.

I also remember that this book was marketed as a Rapunzel retelling but I found that it had very little ties to the fairytale apart from the tower in the middle of the forest. The rest of the world building was very unique and I found that overall it was well developed for such a short book. The way the world was changed and the way societies adapted to this darkness was equally interesting and something I took better note of this time.

As for my impressions of the characters, Luna wasn't as annoying to me this time. Was she willful and naive? Yes, but it wasn't annoying. I think as I have read more books, I have come across more annoying characters and she is mild in comparison. I liked Fowler more over all as I paid more attention to his back story and his growing feelings for Luna. I loved his character growth and the slow burn romance. I felt it progressed naturally and it was very sweet and by the end I was rooting for them to be together.

I still enjoyed this book and would recommend it even if its a bit trope-y. I still had a great time reading it and my 4 star rating still stands.

Happy Reading

Jo

-----------------------------------------------------Now this book started out really rough for me. I was definitely thinking that there might be a high chance that I do not like the book. Im glad that once we got the pretentiousness of the beginning out of the way, we were able to start the journey. I like Luna more in the later part of the book cause she is less annoying as she becomes less naive. I like Fowler more as he gets softer. I feel like in terms of content this book is a 3.5 star rating as the characters are ok and the overall plot is generic but because it makes me want to know how it all ends and I would read the second book if it was sitting in front of me right now, I bumped it to 4 stars. I do also want to say that even though Luna (view spoiler), I didn't find the book laden with descriptions from either Fowler or Luna. I liked that it was just enough. I am excited for the next one so till then :) ...more

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Apr 27, 2016 Colleen Houck added it

Shelves: adventure, monsters, swoonworthy-guys, royalty, survival, romance, death, disabilities, outdoors-camping, secrets

Awesome world building and a swoony hero. What's not to like? Really love Luna and her take on how the world works. Really creeped out by those eel things and biting carp! Shudder. Can't wait for book two. ...more

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Jun 23, 2015 Giselle rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016, ebook, genre-action-adventure, arc-electronic, requested-for-review, from-edelweiss, genre-romance-lust, genre-romance, age-young-adult, genre-apocalyptic

Whhattt. What kind of ending is that? It ended too soon *sighs*

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Apr 09, 2015 The Cover Contessa rated it really liked it

I want to thank Harper Teen for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give an honest review. Receiving this book for free has in no way altered my opinion or review.

I really love Sophie Jordan and her writing. She has yet to write something I don't adore. So of course this is no different! And I love a good fantasy. This one presents a very unique world where people live in darkness and in fear of the monsters that lurk.

I will say this story definitely started off with a Rapunzel fee I want to thank Harper Teen for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give an honest review. Receiving this book for free has in no way altered my opinion or review.

I really love Sophie Jordan and her writing. She has yet to write something I don't adore. So of course this is no different! And I love a good fantasy. This one presents a very unique world where people live in darkness and in fear of the monsters that lurk.

I will say this story definitely started off with a Rapunzel feel. You know right away this is what the book is based upon. Luna has been hiding in the tower all her life. Keeping her identity secret after the world has been cloaked in an almost permanent eclipse. I really enjoyed learning about Luna. She was a strong heroine completely capable of handling herself in fighting situations. A bit stubborn in situations and definitely proud of who she is and what she's been forced to endure during her lifetime. Of course being cooped up all her life gets to her. And it's no surprise she wants to venture out. But you can imagine that doesn't turn out well for her and she finds herself on the run after her tower is invaded and those she was raised by are taken from her.

Fowler was an interesting addition to the story. Saved by Luna, along with his friends, he has a bit of debt to her. And despite him putting up as many walls as he can, somehow Luna slowly wiggles herself into his brain. But he's determined to keep her out. I really liked this character. He was strong and stubborn, and quite selfless when it came to push and shove.

The world is very different in this fantasy. Imagine living at a time when light barely showed itself. And at the same time having to fight off creatures in the darkness who are only interested in one thing: eating whatever comes across their path. I can't imagine trying to avoid these creatures and not being able to see where you are going! I will say I found it odd that there was forestation in this book. I mean, plants need sunlight to live. Or did these plants adapt? We don't really get that background. Same with the humans, how have they adapted to not having sunlight since humans truly need light to live.

Jordan's writing is wonderful. Her descriptions are through for the most part. And the pacing of the book is fast with lots of action. I could have used a bit more world building. Because this was missing it didn't feel as much like a fantasy as I would have liked. More like a mix of dystopia and fantasy for me. And of course she infuses a bit of romance. I liked the romance because there was no insta-love. Instead you get a nice slow build with tension thrown in. My favorite type of romance.

And of course I need to read on because THAT ENDING! Talk about a huge cliffhanger. Jordan is a bit cruel with this at the end! There's no way you will not want to read on once you see what happens.

Overall I think fans of Jordan will enjoy her diving into this type of world and how she constructs it. With action and plot twists throughout, it really keeps you on your toes and makes you want to push on so you can see how it ends. ...more

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Jan 11, 2016 Angie Elle rated it really liked it

Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperTeen for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

One of my goals this year was to step out of my reading comfort zone. While I know I enjoy YA, I am still getting my feet wet with the fantasy genre. I think this was a step in the right direction; Reign of Shadows was a pleasant surprise for me.

As a rule, I’m not a fan of first person dual POV. The switch is sometimes confusing and even in this one, there were times when I had to scroll back Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperTeen for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

One of my goals this year was to step out of my reading comfort zone. While I know I enjoy YA, I am still getting my feet wet with the fantasy genre. I think this was a step in the right direction; Reign of Shadows was a pleasant surprise for me.

As a rule, I’m not a fan of first person dual POV. The switch is sometimes confusing and even in this one, there were times when I had to scroll back to the first page of the chapter to see who was narrating. Surprisingly, this didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the story. I love the premise of this book – the presumed-dead heir to the throne hiding out in a tower in the middle of the woods relatively safe while outside of the walls surrounding her, chaos reigns. Luna was an interesting heroine. She was very sheltered and, in some ways, naïve, but she was a good judge of character. For being so in tune to what was going on around her, I’m surprised she was as adventurous as she was. That’s one of the things I really enjoyed about her character – she didn’t allow fear to rule her. Fowler was even more fearless than Luna was. He’d made a solid effort to shut out the world and not make attachments, but his compassion rises up at the most inopportune times. His resourcefulness and determination have kept him alive, but with Luna now by his side, the stakes are higher than ever.

Reign of Shadows flew by for me. It was one adventure after another, and while I could always tell where Fowler was coming from (he was the more logical of the two,) I sometimes questioned Luna’s decisions. They felt a bit hasty, but as I mentioned before, she was sheltered and still young, and I think she was a bit of an idealist. The world building in this one was very interesting. One hour of sunlight a day keeps the monsters at bay, but for the other twenty-three hours, it’s every human for themselves. And I loved the backstory of how Luna’s kingdom fell apart; I’m hoping for more of that in the next installment.

I really enjoyed Reign of Shadows. Luna’s heart was always in the right place, and she finally gets to a point where, ruling or not, she’s going to do what’s right for her kingdom no matter the cost. There were a few surprises along the way, and as for the end…oy. I am not a fan of cliffhangers, but I will say this one at least left us in a place that felt natural. It’s clear we’re being led into a different chapter of Luna and Fowler’s story, and it served its purpose. I’ll be back to find out what happens!

This review was originally posted at Badass Book Reviews. ...more

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Feb 09, 2016 Lala_Loopsie [fire breathing B!tch Queen] rated it liked it

Shelves: warrior, meh, romance

I feel as if my opinion has been influenced by another review. Maybe my opinion wouldn't have been so strong, but here i am.

The story is quite unlikely. Luna has lived all her life in a tower with her protectors. She is blind. And since she was born, she world has been plunged in darkness for 23 hours a day, which is physically impossible, i believe. Anyway, at night, creatures come out.

I don't think i can continue talking about it, i need a new fix of Too good to be true books. Frankly, i don' ...more

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Mar 10, 2017 Padi Gl rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Einfach großartig ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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May 16, 2015 nick (the infinite limits of love) rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc

reign

All images courtesy of Pinterest.

TOUGH BLIND PRINCESS
GRUFF SEXY ARCHER
SLOW-BURN ANTAGONISTIC ROMANCE
A WHOLE LOT OF SHIPPING
AND THEN DYING BECAUSE HOLY CLIFFHANGER!

I've had ups and downs with Sophie Jordan's books in the past. After her Uninvited duology ended in a way that I wasn't happy about, I was a little hesitant to pick up anything else by her. But when the cover and summary for Reign of Shadows released, I had a hard time being able to not resist the story. I mean it ...more

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Dec 21, 2017 Alice-Elizabeth (Prolific Reader Alice) rated it liked it

Shelves: read-in-2017

3.5 out of 5 stars!

This book... has left me feeling very conflicted over how to rate it. But deciding to settle on 3.5 for a number of factors that I will be sharing in this review! Luna is the princess of a kingdom which her parents (the King and Queen) were killed and she sent away into hiding up in an old tower and out of the public eye. She wants more freedom and on exploring the surrounding area, she meets Fowler who holds secrets of his own and is an archer. Both get to know each other how ...more

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Jun 14, 2018 Devin rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-fantasy

Two stars.

There were many things I liked about this book, such as the unique world. The world is set in a constantly dark world due to an eclipse that has lasted for 17 years. There are dark creatures that roam the land, and every day is a fight for survival. I liked the writing style of the author, mostly because of the use of description when writing about smells, feelings, warmth and cooking. Plus, this is a Rapunzel retelling, and who doesn't love a retelling?

However, there were many, many t ...more

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Feb 12, 2016 Cassie-la rated it liked it

Shelves: 2016-reads

ORIGINALLY POSTED: http://bibliomantics.com/2016/03/28/t...

A wholly originally Rapunzel retelling, I was initially drawn to Reign of Shadows because the cover is beyond amazing. I mean, how could you not love it?

Reign of Shadows is set in a world plunged into almost complete darkness because of a total eclipse ~~of the heart~~ that took place 17 years ago. With the eclipse came the rise of the dark dwellers, a race of underground humanoid creatures with poor eyesight, but a great sense of smell and ...more

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Jan 17, 2016 Angie - Angie's Dreamy Reads rated it liked it · review of another edition

I liked this... it was dark. And the writing was good, but I'll admit it was missing something for me. That said, I definitely want to see what happens in the next book. Especially after that ending. ...more

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Jul 26, 2018 Jason rated it it was amazing

LOVED. THIS. BOOK.
Like wth, why is no one talking about this? Guys, i even loved the freaking romance!
This is also a bit darker then any another YA fantasy. Which i loved. If the second and final book is also this good, then that means that this series can end up on my favorite’s :p

A full review to come!

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Jan 31, 2015 mith rated it liked it

Shelves: royalty, arcs, fantasy, kindle-or-ebook, 2016, maaaagic, male-pov, series

Ouch, two months to read. Whoops.
So I was under the impression this was a standalone, but apparently it isn't?? Not with that ending at least?
Torn about how I feel about this book, so it's at a 3 right now. Wasn't too impressed, but it didn't bore me. So that's something
—
To like the cover or to not?
I mean... I guess it's okay? ...more

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Jun 12, 2015 Kristi rated it really liked it

WHAAAAAAAT!?!?! Knew I would enjoy this one, can't go wrong with Sophie Jordan. Need the next one already! ...more

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Jun 23, 2015 Jessica (The Psychotic Nerd) rated it really liked it

Shelves: school-year-2015-2016, book-series-that-are-over-with, fantasy, signed-copy, series-books, harper, books-i-own, read-multiple-book-series-by-author, hall-of-awesome-4-stars-or-more, released-in-2016

This and other reviews can be found on The Psychotic Nerd

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review

MY THOUGHTS
Going into this book, I didn't know what to expect. I've disliked books and enjoyed books by this author. The Firelight trilogy was meh to me, but I enjoyed Uninvited (the sequel is another story). I am happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I really liked it and I was close to giving it a full 5 stars!

Ever since darkness fell across her kingd This and other reviews can be found on The Psychotic Nerd

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review

MY THOUGHTS
Going into this book, I didn't know what to expect. I've disliked books and enjoyed books by this author. The Firelight trilogy was meh to me, but I enjoyed Uninvited (the sequel is another story). I am happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I really liked it and I was close to giving it a full 5 stars!

Ever since darkness fell across her kingdom, Luna has been in her tower. She's only ever really known two people and she's hardly ever left her tower, as the outside is too dangerous. Until one day, she does, and she comes across a group of three surviving in the wilds. After saving them, she leads them back to the tower. But when her tower gets attacked, she must leave, with one of the strangers she just found. In a world of darkness there are many dangers, especially when you're the lost princess.

I loved this book! It was completely unique! This has some fairy-tale aspects, but all-in-all this is a very dark fantasy, and it was epic. The world-building was great! I felt like I was sucked into this dark world! And, best of all, there were plot twists! I adore plot twists! Some I saw coming, but still, I loved them!

I liked the characters in this book. This book is from the point of view of both Luna and Fowler. Luna doesn't seem like a strong person at first, due to how sheltered she is and the decision she makes of going outside, even though she's been told how dangerous it is. But Luna actually is very strong, especially when you realize more about her situation (I don't want to give too much away). She's also very kind. Fowler is from a completely different situation than Luna. He has learned how to survive in the darkness. The two have an interesting dynamic, both distrusting one another but thrown together due to circumstance. Although, you know right off that they will eventually grow to like each other, this is a YA book.

Fair warning: There is a bit of a cliffhanger.

IN CONCLUSION
I really enjoyed reading this book! Despite my earlier misgivings, I was very pleasantly surprised by this book! This was a such an interesting and unique fantasy book! The world-building was strong and dark and the cast of characters was interesting! I do recommend this book, but expect plot twists and a cliffhanger! ...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Flipping Through ...: Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan	1	6	Mar 04, 2017 08:01PM
What's the Name o...: SOLVED. YA Novel: Girl is taken from a tower by a boy who doesn't really like her. [s]	8	229	Aug 26, 2016 02:06AM
Advanced Copies f...: Giveaway! You could win a Hard Cover Copy OF Reign of Shadows	1	17	Jul 19, 2016 09:46AM
YA Buddy Readers'...: Reign of Shadows (Reign of Shadows #1) by Sophie Jordan starting May 17th!	5	12	May 25, 2016 04:25AM
Sounds like "Pitch Black"	1	20	May 30, 2015 09:44PM

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About Sophie Jordan

Sophie Jordan

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Pseudonym:
Sharie Kohler

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 ...more

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“The world was a merciless place. Hard and cruel. Except when you found someone to trust and love. Life, however fleeting, possessed meaning then.” — 19 likes

“Hope is all there is. All we have. And love. Or what's the point of any of it?” — 12 likes

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