1. An ambiguous library. Secrets are kept from the librarians yet we aren’t entirely sure if the library is good or evil. The MC acknowledges that she is probably told a bunch of lies but at her core, she is a bookworm so being at the library is where she feel most comfortable. I like to think that the library is a little fishy but not truly evil but who knows what secrets will come crawling out in the next two books ;)
2. The world building. Holy moly the world building in this book is good. I love alternative universes but I absolutely love the author’s original take on them here. I love how she also incorporates the missions the librarians go on within them. Basically, librarians are interested in books that are particular to a specific alternative. Do you love collecting multiple editions of your fav books? Can you imagine how much fun it would be to collect multiple editions from alternative universes with potential extra content that wasn’t published in your own universe? IT WOULD BE FUCKING AMAZING. Maybe a universe exists where I can get the ending I’ve always wanted from Looking for Alibrandi.
3. The characters. OMG THESE CHARACTERS. SO MUCH LOVE. Can I cuddle them? Irene is pretty badass. She can literally kick ass and is super smart. Kai has some really juicy secrets (and powers) that made me so excited and I know will have many more readers flailing. The secondary characters are also wonderful and add layers of wit and complexity to the novel.
4. The Plot. I have a pretty bad relationship with books that take place over a short period of time but it works perfectly here. The author does time SO well in this book and I really cannot tell it’s been only 2-3 days (and of course, no insta love happens which helps.) There is so much excitement crammed into those days in a way that really isn’t unrealistic (given the ways in which this fictional world functions.) There is an element of mystery, adventure and survival. The plot also just works well because the world building is so good so I don’t have stupid questions and am just busy flipping the pages to know what is GONNA HAPPEN and who done it.
Basically, this book was amazing and will definitely go on my favorites of 2016 list. YOU SHOULD READ IT because it’s bookworm porn and I HAVE THE FLAILS and need someone to flail with.
Note that I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
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Overall reaction to the book
How I feel about the characters
LUNA: sometimes naive, sometimes kickass, also occasional bad decision maker. Overall:
FOWLER: Just an angry young man who is mad at the world for all the wrongs it has done him. Overall:
How I feel about the romance
In theory, I shipped the characters but in practice I just needed them to slow down and get to know each other instead of Fowler being passive agressive and then suddenly falling in love?? (IDK if the L word is used)
How I feel about the world building
I found it interesting but thought there needed to be a lot more of it. Overall:
How I feel about the plot
I love me a survival story and I enjoyed the plot, but also wanted more substance. Overall:
The Ending
I do have mixed feelings about the book since there are some things I liked and others I felt mediocre about. The book didn't manage to blow me away but it was good brain candy, so if you're looking for an easy, fun book to flip through, Reign of Shadows might just be for you. Just be warned, the ending is BRUTAL.
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