Reign of the Fallen | 
so-soThis had redeemable elements but the lack of world building really bummed me out. It‘s hard to really feel for your lead POV character if she‘s wallowing in grief for the bulk of the book and is supposedly such a strong fighter - but nearly every time she‘s saved by someone else. But it does have an empathetic fightin‘ grizzly bear which is pretty cool. 🤷🏻♀️😂🧟♂️🐻
pickEntertaining but the main character isn‘t much of a hero lol. She‘s a little useless at times. I did enjoy it and can‘t wait for #2
pickHappy to be back in the groove of reading. I really enjoyed this fantasy by a new-to-me author. The system of magic is interesting.
pickI am just in awe of this book. It was so beautifully written and the characters where relatable. I grieved with Odessa as she went on the journey of trying to move on in life after losing someone you love with your whole heart. 5 stars would definitely recommend.
so-soThis cover is gorgeous, and I love the premise and characters of this story, but the book takes a deep dive into an exploration of grief for about a third of the story, and after all that I thought the main character became interested in someone else too soon after the boy she wanted to marry died. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
so-soA #QueerYA #Fantasy w/ unfulfilled potential. A bisexual necromancer living in a change-adverse land where the raised Dead are inexplicably changing into dangerous Shades. But it doesn't develop the MC enough to earn emotional investment before plunging her into grief 100 pages in where she's mean, depressed, and addicted. When this stagnant middle section ends to return to the main plot, I had a hard time caring. Also, bad guy was super obvious.
I feel like we didn't get to know this main character well enough before she quickly becomes mean, depressed, and addicted to this potion in the wake of grief a quarter of the way into this book. Intellectually I get it, but emotionally I have to know the character to be able to care about her in this state. The way this plot is structured is very weird. It's like trying to throw season 6 Buffy into season 1. #QueerBooks #BisexualBooks #YA
Just hanging out with my giant lobster and reading a good book, like ya do. Totally normal Sunday morning.
pickI loved this book so much. 5 stars. I have so many words about this book. My full review is on my blog.
so-soThings I liked: Representation. Gritty, but not over the top. The depiction of grief and addiction.
Things I didn‘t like:
Odessa. She just irritated me. Like kissing another man when your lover is dead? It acknowledges that it‘s selfish, it just really rubbed me the wrong way. Plus, the relationship that supposedly sends her into this grief spiral hardly gets any screen time. It feels like it‘s kind of superficial? All in all, not a fave.
pickI enjoyed reading this tale. As I said before it‘s nice to read a story where characters are diverse and written as normal human beings, but not reduced to stereotypes. I can‘t wait to read Song of the Dead next. #reignofthefallen #sarahglennmarsh
“Every monster can be beaten.” #reignofthefallen #sarahglennmarsh
This scene that I am reading at the moment depicts something that I have never dealt with before, but makes me empathize with the character dealing with it. #reignofthefallen #sarahglennmarsh
I officially have my first YA crush ( or YA boyfriend). I love Jax so far. #reignofthefallen #sarahglennmarsh
What I love the most about this book so far is the inclusion without stereotypes. It‘s nice to read a story where I don‘t have to cringe when certain characters are described or appear. Everyone is normal in this book. #reignofthefallen #sarahglennmarsh
Now this is really heartbreaking. #reignofthefallen #sarahglennmarsh
Whatever happened to Master Nicanor signifying that something is amiss! #reignofthefallen #sarahglennmarsh
so-soI have very mixed feelings about this story. Some ideas were really refreshing and original. I liked the diverse cast of characters and their strengths. I loved the idea of raising the dead and the moral questions it brings. The middle was too emotional for what I look for in a fantasy novel. Less crying, more action please. But maybe I just wasn't in the mood to contemplate grief. I liked the ending a lot and I want to move on with the series.
SO IN LOVE 🖤🧡🖤💛
I nearly cried tears of excitement when I opened the box from @AlizaApp . I never even heard of Reign of the Fallen before today but NOW it is in my hot little hands and I‘m excited. I‘ve decided to dedicate 2019 to books of supernatural worlds and witchery, and every one of these titles is going straight to the stack. Also my first Gaiman. I‘ve banished the trick or treaters (run out of candy and put the baby to bed) 👇🏻
I went to an author event yesterday with YA authors Sarah Glenn Marsh and Gwen Cole @FountainBookstore hosted by @MidnightBookGirl . I got to meet and talk to the authors about their books, get my books signed, and get some free book swag. If you look carefully they both signed my book with "sausages." That is our inside joke. ?
It was a good day! ?l
pickI gave this a pick for being entertaining in a bad B movie, a boozy Lifetime movie meets fantasy, kind of way. It made me laugh a lot. This is the kind of fantasy where people have the power to bring people back from the dead but nobody has a flashlight or magic to make light so that your lover doesn‘t get punched through his body because nobody can see the ogre- like monster. Also, to my group J ladies. I just kept thinking of Peter Bogdanovich.
I just want to say to any author struggling to describe the color of something in your story there are resources out there to save your readers from hot pink, dark blue, light blue, bright red. Omg. I remember seeing the cool 64 count box of crayons when I was in grade school and thinking cerulean? Cornflower? Pewter? Fuschia? Indigo? Magenta? C‘mon!!!!! Lol Sorry, Friday night reading rant over.
This is headed your way via the slow boat that is media mail @Reggie. This round is winding down.
#lmpbc #groupj @wanderinglynn @OddBookishBee
pickI enjoyed this tale of Necromancers and the Undead. I probably should have switched to a physical copy because the narration wasn't my favorite to listen to, and had me switching to music when it got too grating. Looking forward to book 2!
panUnfortunately, this book was not for me. It had a possibly interesting premise: necromancers can bring back the dead, and the king, who has reigned for 200 years, does not permit change or progress. But the world was underdeveloped, as were the characters and the plot. It was slow moving, too long, and felt like the author was manipulating everything.
Book 3 from round 3 has arrived! Woo!
#LMPBC #GroupJ
@wanderinglynn @OddBookishBee @Reggie
1. Engaged and currently wedding planning 😊
2. Odessa/Meredy from Reign of the Fallen by Sarah Glenn Marsh.
3. Ron & Harry from Harry Potter.
4. The girl group from Puddin‘ by Julie Murphy
5. I feel odd answering this because most characters I read about are in YA stories so they‘re younger than me. So I‘ll just say Odessa from Reign of the Fallen.
#tellmetuesday @Ke633
I‘m not a huge pink person, but I really like the cover design and actually like the pink! I think it‘s a pretty cool cover!
Picking a favorite local author for #AGameOfFavorites was really tough. I‘m gonna go with Sarah Glenn Marsh. My wife and I made a trip up to Arlington earlier this year‘s for the release of her latest novel Reign of the Fallen. So what is Sarah‘s favorite book? Well, I found this answer in one of her interviews.
@wanderinglynn it's here! Thank you for the adorable note and bookmarks!!
Also, @thebluestocking, I'm terrible and had life blow up in my face last week so I'm a little delayed in getting my book to. I'm so sorry but it will be in the mail by Friday. 1,000 apologies.
[#TopTenTuesday] Books & Memories! Sometimes when you think about a certain book a flood of memories of certain moments of your life can come rushing back, and that is what this post is all about. I talk about ten books that have specific memories or feelings associated with them. I‘d love to know some of yours! 📖💖
http://heathersreadinghideaway.blogspot.com/2018/07/top-ten-tuesday-memories-and...
pan@OddBookishBee I finally finished it & will be putting this in the mail tomorrow for you.
This is my first #lmpbc book. So not sure how I did. 🤔 I will say I didn‘t really like this book. Hopefully one of you might like it more.
pickThis book was so well written! The main character is a complex, bisexual (woohoo for representation!!) necromancer in a world that is breathtaking, interesting and unique. The plot is a rollercoaster of excitement and emotion, featuring many unique characters. This is a story of love, loss, adventure, betrayal and loyalty that is unpredictable and will leave you wanting more.
pickThis was a nice, easy, quick read. The characters were all extremely likeable and the world was very easy to fall into. Marsh is an excellent writer and made it so easy to enjoy this book. I think the ending was perfect and wrapped up nicely. This book was kind of predictable but it didn't bother me much. Easy 4 stars.
I wrote about my 2018 reading challenges on my blog: http://wanderinglynn.com/2018/06/18/summer-18-reading-challenges/
What summer reading challenge(s) are you doing?
Current status: Hiding in my office until I proctor the afternoon regents. I‘ve finished all of my end of the year library stuff, but I feel guilty just reading... hence the hiding!
I‘m enjoying this, but it hasn‘t completely grabbed me yet. Giving it another 50 or so pages
Living for this cover art!! I have been super excited for this since it came out. This is my pick for the #Popsugar2018 prompt "A book that's published in 2018". Looking forward to starting it!
pickEnjoyed it just as much as the first time I read it! Such a good book to start off Pride month with!
Time for a reread so I'm ready for the author's live stream in the TBR & Beyond Facebook group! 😁😁😁😁
Was pleasantly impressed with this book... and that cover!!!!🖤🖤
pickThis is a really good story! I was hesitant at the beginning because it was a little slow (at least for me) but as I kept reading it got more interesting. I liked Sparrow and Meredy‘s relationship. How they kinda hate each other at the start but found a mutual respect for one another. I won‘t say much more because you need to, at least, give this book a chance. 😉
“I wonder is anyone can truly know another person,” Meredy says softly, her eyes lingering on me as she trusts her horse to stick to the path. “Or if we all keep a few rooms‘ worth of secrets locked away in our minds.”
panAgain, unpopular opinion. Like...all she wants to do is make out with people. The love of her life dies and she jumps in bed with everyone? The magic is cool in this, but there isn‘t enough. It is a story of something bad happening to someone and then that person making bad choices... boo.
Next book on my TBR list. I hope to finish it by tomorrow. Fingers crossed. 🤞🏼🤓
So excited to get to this...eventually. With how big my TBR is who knows 🙈 but I‘m hoping sometime soon. Odessa is a necromancer, charged with bringing the spirits of the dead ruling family back. A delicate process, the bodies must be entirely shrouded, otherwise the deceased becomes a Shade- a zombie like creature. When one of her own dies, Odessa realizes that someone is intentionally creating Shades and she must act or lose everything.
