Mundie Moms

Thursday, January 28, 2016

REIGN OF SHADOWS by Sophie Jordan / Blog Tour: Book Review & Giveaway




Hello and welcome to today's stop in the REIGN OF SHADOWS blog tour! Today's stop features a giveaway (be sure to enter at the end of this post), as well as my review for Sophie Jordan's upcoming release! First, here's a little bit about the book. 

ABOUT THE BOOK


By: Sophie Jordan
Published by: Harper Teen
To Be Released on: February 9th, 2016
Series: Reign of Shadows #1
Purchase from: Amazon | B&N | Indiebound | iBooks | The Book Depository
Add it to Goodreads 
Rating: 4 Stars - I Enjoyed It
* I received an ARC from the publisher to review, in exchange for my honest review

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 Shadowsis Sophie Jordan at her best.


I am a huge Sophie Jordan fan. I love her YA books, especially the ones that have those well written fantasy elements, swoon worthy romances, and action packed scenes. If you've not yet picked up one of Sophie's books, you're missing out. I'm really excited about her newest series, Reign of Shadows. While this book may have had a slow start for me, and I may have felt the pacing was a little off at times, I am so glad I stuck with this book! I went from feeling not connected to the story for some of the first half, to feeling like I couldn't turn the pages fast enough for the second half. 

Reign of Shadows is an interesting blend of fantasy and dystopia. I really liked how these two elements worked together in this story. Normally I'm not a huge fan of dystopia, but it worked out well for Reign of Shadows, particularly with the freaky creatures that live within this book's dark world. The world itself is a fascinating one. It's a dark and dangerous place that for the most part has been without light for the last seventeen years, except for the midnight. The time of day have offers a little bit of light. It added a lot to the story, and what the characters dwell with. From dwellers who feed on people, to huge rabbit eating bats. This is one world I wouldn't want to venture out in, unless of course I had Fowler and Luna with me. 


It took me a while to really connect with both Luna and Fowler, but once I did, I ended up loving these two characters. Luna has lived in a tower for much of her life, and has rarely been out doors. There's a reason for why she's been there. Despite her little contact with the outside world, I liked that those entrusted to protect her, have trained her and have taught about the world outside. Luna is far from helpless, and I loved that she 'sees' and experiences the world differently than those around her. I admired her fearlessness, and her attention to detail. That alone is crucial in her ability to survive in the outside world.


Fowler is a character who was harder to like, but once I did, I ended up loving him. He's definitely been through his fair share of hell. The world he's lived in has changed him, which is excepted given all the death and destruction he's witnessed. I really liked the way Luna and Fowler's story intertwined. They both do their fair share of saving each other. I loved how they both change each other, for the better, more so Fowler than Luna. I liked their little moments together. The little touches, the glances and their nearness to each other. Those moments are ones Sophie Jordan writes so well. She builds up to just the right moment between the two characters, so that when things finally start heating up, you want to yell FINALLY!


Of course, just as things start heating up, shocking secrets get revealed. Talk about a great twist at the end of this book! I was not excepting that twist, though I totally should have. Sophie Jordan what have you done to me! I need the next book. I'm looking forward to reading the second book in this series. I just wish I didn't have to wait so long for it be released. 



ABOUT SOPHIE JORDAN


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's List.



Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

ENTER TO WIN


a Rafflecopter giveaway



Follow the Tour


See Sophie Jordan on Tour

  • St. Louis, MO
  • February 9, 2016
  • Main Street Books, off-site at Spencer Road Library, 7 PM
  • Naperville, IL
  • February 10, 2016
  • Anderson’s Bookshop, 7 PM
  • Washington, D.C.
  • February 11, 2016
  • Politics & Prose, off-site at the Bethesda Library, 7 PM
  • Fairfax, VA
  • February 12, 2016
  • Barnes & Noble, 7 PM
  • Bensalem, PA
  • February 13, 2016
  • Barnes & Noble, 1 PM
  • New York City
  • February 14, 2016
  • Books of Wonder, 4 PM
  • *Billed as “Epic Reads Presents: A Date with Royalty”

12 comments:

  1. Ohhh I'm so excited for this book.
    Your review was lovely and very enjoyable to read.

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  2. I absolutely loved this book! I connected with the characters right away and LOVED them both. I thought it was such an interesting story that I finished it in just a few hours! I can't wait for the next book!

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  3. I adored this book! It sort of reminded me of Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi but darker, so I loved it! I can't wait for the sequel!

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  4. I am so stoked for this book! I wish that I lived closer to one of the tour stops!

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  5. Cannot wait to read this. It has been on my TBR pile for a while.

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  6. This is the first I've read about this book. I love epic fantasies and this one sounds really good... Thanks for your review and the contest!

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  7. This is the first I've read about this book. I love epic fantasies and this one sounds really good... Thanks for your review and the contest!

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  8. I haven't read any books by this author before, but this sounds really exciting! Going to keep this one on the top of my list!

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  9. I'm in love with this cover and I've been hearing good things - can't wait to check this out when it's released! Thanks for the chance to win :)

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  10. Thank you for the chance! Awesome looking book! I can't wait to read it!!

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  11. Gorgeous blog tour post Katie. <3 Thank you so much for sharing :D Your review is awesome. Yay for enjoying this book so much :D I have heard mixed things. So probably not for me :)

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  12. This book looks amazing. Thanks for the introduction to Reign of Shadows!

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