Another mediocre read hiding behind a pretty cover.

Now that’s not to say that the book wasn’t good, because parts of it were definitely enjoyable. It just suffered from poor pacing and uninteresting side characters. But the world was enthralling, the story was unique, and the concept of the Living Dead is presented in a new way that made me think. This could have been a wonderful book if not for a few execution errors.

Odessa is a Necromancer, able to bring the spirits of the dead back to the world of the living, and her skill is unparalleled. But when the Dead are being turned into Shades, rogue spirits intent on death and destruction, all of her skills are put to the test. As a main character, Odessa was interesting enough. She made some questionable decisions throughout the course of the story that made me scratch my head, but overall, she was a strong female lead. I also liked that she is a bi character, but I wish the romance was a bit more fleshed out so I could have been more invested.

I did have an issue with the side characters, and I really wish time was taken to get to know them better. Most appeared whenever Odessa needed them, and then they promptly disappeared again. At the end, it was hard to differentiate between them at all, and that’s never a good sign.

My main issue with this book is the pacing. The plot was stagnant in the first half of the story, and it was really hard to continue reading when the characters and world-building weren’t up to par with carrying the story themselves. The premise of the story lays out the conflict: “Soon a crushing loss of one of their own reveals a disturbing conspiracy: someone is intentionally creating Shades by tearing shrouds from the Dead--and training them to attack.” However, this plot point isn’t introduced until almost halfway through the book. Every time Odessa wondered what was going on, I was just twiddling my thumbs waiting for her to figure things out. It was achingly slow. But once this plot was introduced, things ramped up and became much more interesting. I really enjoyed the second half of the story, and I wish that the first half could have been more interesting.

I applaud Marsh for creating such a unique concept and world. I’m really hoping we learn more about the magic system and the Deadlands, because what was presented really held my interest.

Overall, this was a decent read, and with a sequel having been announced already, my interest is piqued. Let’s see where things go!

The concept alone (and also the sparkly cover. I'm a sucker for sparkly covers) made me request it immediately when it was available on Netgalley. That and I follow Sarah Glenn Marsh on Twitter and she's mentioned how it was a story about queer girls.

I was hyped. I was ready.

I ended up a little disappointed.

I want to establish how much I loved the concept. The concept was the coolest thing ever. I loved the idea of necromancers working for good, doing their best to keep the dead "alive". I loved a kingdom that's had the same king for hundreds of years, a king that outlawed change.

But nothing felt right when I read the book. Maybe it wasn't for me, that happens. I felt the execution needed work. Few scenes felt tense, and the ones that did were immediately rectified by having the tension swept away. At one point, the main character sacrifices herself to kill a Shade--the undead monsters--by pulling it into a raging bonfire, since fire is one of two ways to kill the Shades.

That's such a good moment! The main character sacrificing herself, her health, to save the people around her! She's pulled out of the fire, horribly burned, and I just knew that was going to be a huge tension point for the entire book! She's burned! She's hurt, but she's supposed to be the kingdom's best necromancer, how will she defend everyone from Shades when she... oh... a healer came up. Okay, sure, he'll take away the worst of the pain but she'll still be worse off because of her rash actions... Oh. She's 100% healed, good as new, like nothing happened. Well. Shit.

That, I think, was the worst that can happen in a story. Characters fall to ruin from their own actions but never feel the lasting consequences. Yes, they spend half a page thinking they're going to die from the burning, but then by the next page they're perfectly okay thanks to a healer's magic and they learn nothing. I wanted to see characters suffer from their own misguided actions and become better for it--that's how character development works! But it never happened within Reign of the Fallen and it sucked all the fun out of the book for me.

I have to give this one three stars for stellar concept, a pretty cover, lots of queers and badass ladies, a deep look into addiction and grief, and getting me to at least finish the book instead of DNF'ing it. Unfortunately, this won't be one I'll be revisiting or picking up a sequel to. Though I've seen lots of other people love it, so perhaps it just wasn't my cup of tea.

As a book reviewer, I don’t get a whole lot of free time for book hangovers. If I fall behind in my reading schedule, it can throw a kink in the entire year’s schedule. That means, unfortunately, I don’t have time to give a book a few days of respectful silence before jumping into a new story. Often, I only wait a few hours before starting the next one.

So it was pretty surprising (and frustrating, but also awesome) when, three days after finishing Reign of the Fallen, I still couldn’t get into my next book. It was too good.

A short summary: Odessa raises the dead for a living. It’s a fairly simple job: Someone dies, she goes into the Deadlands to retrieve them, and they’re returned to their body. In fact, the current king has been reigning for over 200 years — why give up the throne when you can just keep coming back, right? There’s just one catch: The Dead have to wear a shroud, covering their bodies completely, or they’ll turn into rampaging, murder-crazed monsters called Shades. Is the risk the Dead pose to the living worth allowing them to come back?

I’ve probably read hundreds of YA fantasy books in my life so far, and it’s safe to say there are some… prominent plot tropes. Some prominent worldbuilding techniques, prominent magic wielding systems, prominent romances, even prominent character traits. Sometimes I literally confuse one YA fantasy book with another, because they’re actually that similar. It’s like publishers look at their competition’s lineup and say, “Let’s publish that exact book, but with the character and location names changed.”

Reign of the Fallen was the most original YA fantasy I’ve read in a long, long time. There are some books that just stand out from the crowd, and Reign of the Fallen is one of them. It was intriguing, heart-wrenching, exciting, and completely unexpected. I feel like this book didn’t get much hype from the book community, but it should have. This book wasn’t on my shortlist of most exciting 2018 releases, but it absolutely should have been.

Did it have its fair share of issues? Sure. There were times when it seemed a “rule” about the type of magic the characters wielded randomly cropped up, as if it was inserted halfway through the book to make the subsequent scene make sense (when it should have been inserted near the beginning, where the worldbuilding is heaviest). There were some times when the story was more predictable than others. But if you let go and enjoy the story, it’s honestly an amazing ride.

A few people have voiced questions on social media about representation in this book: There is bisexual representation, as well as lesbian and gay representation. The relationships are fairly realistic to me, and there isn’t any homophobia in the book. Odessa is also described as having darker skin, but the book doesn’t really go into race at all. The most it does is mention that another character’s skin is much, much lighter than Odessa’s.

5 stars. This book was great! In a world where death isn't the end, it makes total sense that the rich and the powerful would never want to die - and yet I have never read a book like this! I found this world absolutely fascinating. The aspects of necromancy in the novel - traveling to the Deadlands (and the effects of doing so) and the interactions between the dead and living - were so interesting. I loved that the dead were so afraid of change that they outlawed it.

The bi rep in this book is just... amazing. I loved it. It felt completely real and natural and not overexplained (this is why #ownvoices is so important). I especially loved that it was explicitly stated that Odessa knew she was bi when she was so young (as Simeon knew he was gay when he was young) - we have so many stories where characters discover their sexuality, and while that's fantastic!!! I really enjoy reading when they've known it all along too.

I loved the characters. I was thrilled to see a ~strong female character~ be so weak at points (strong characters don't have to be strong all the time!). I also loved the incredibly strong friendships (let's hear it for found family, y'all know I love it) - the friendships are so rich and vivid and just made my heart feel full. I figured out who the bad guy was pretty early on but I still enjoyed watching Odessa try to figure it out.

I highly recommend this book. I wasn't a huge fan of how it ended ([Odessa literally peacing out without a word to anyone??? her friends are going to be so worried??? what the fuck??? I understand she deserves to have some time for herself and have her own adventures but christ leave a note or something (hide spoiler)]), so I'm really looking forward to seeing where the next book goes - I'd love to learn more about the religion and the 5 faced Goddess. And I can't wait to read about Odessa and Meredy's next adventure.

I was lucky enough to be approved on netgalley for this title and score a physical ARC at Yallfest! Thank you!

This book started a little slow for me. I think because what seemed like a major relationship was already formed I had a hard time connecting. That being said about 100 pages in I was completely sold. It was a fast-paced addictive book.

I loved the different elements of the story. Yes we had our big bad and that was the major plot line but WOW the side plots were giving me so much life. This book handles grief and addiction in such real ways, it's hard to believe its taking place in this fantasy world.

I was here for all the characters, I loved the romance. I was invested in all of them!

This story has amazing found family's, necromancy, beast masters, and so much magic. Go get it. You won't regret it. One of my favorite reads this year!

When I first saw this book announced during the summer of 2017 I was terribly excited to get my hands on it. As soon as it popped up on Netgalley in October, I believe it was, I requested it immediately. Of course, then I waited three months and had forgotten I had requested it until I got that magic “this book is now available to you” e-mail. I love those e-mails and I was especially excited for this book.

Just look at that cover! How does that not draw you in? For me, it sparks an immediate curiosity in the book. Even if I hadn’t been interested in the story I would have still wanted this book for the cover alone.

The story begins with two necromancers going into the Deadlands to retrieve the spirit of their king. Already sounds interesting, right? You see, in this land, the dead don’t stay dead. For a price a trained necromancer can go into what is essentially the land of the dead and brings someone’s spirit back and stuff it back in their body. Slightly gross? Sure. But also really cool.

But, as with everything seemingly good in any world, there is a catch. The spirit re-enters the body but every inch of the body must remained completely covered from then on. If a living person so much as gets a glimpse of flesh the Dead will become what they call a Shade. An evil, flesh eating, super strong creature with no sense or thoughts outside of devouring flesh. While the Dead retain the personalities etc they had in life, the Shades are more like evil super zombies you’d see in Resident Evil games. Well, at least that is how I saw them and the more a Shade kills and devours its victims the stronger it gets.

Odessa is the necromancer we follow in this book. She and the few others necromancers in the area are as close as family and are very serious about and proud of their work. It is an honor to be trained as a necromancer and Odessa works for the king himself who has been raised multiple times since his first death many, many years before. He is a kind king who cares about his people but is hesitant to accept change.

The problem Odessa and the others encounter is that someone is purposefully making Shades out of the Dead and has learned to control them which they had thought impossible. These controlled Shades are attacking living and Dead alike and causing havoc and panic. Our trained necromancers must partake in a mission to save the peaceful Dead, the fearful living, and help to maintain peace across the kingdom.

On their quest they will experience loss and the pain and despair that comes with that. But among that pain has the possibility to grow new happiness. This book shows great character growth which is something I definitely appreciate. It also tackles LGBT relationships in a way that feels very natural. Have you ever read a book that tries to add a LGBT character and it just feels awkward and forced? Reign of the Fallen doesn’t have that issue. It was well done. Tasteful without being oversexualized.

One thing I would like to bring up, because I know it could be an issue for some readers, is there is a substance abuse theme about 1/3 way through the book. It isn’t over quickly and the theme continues until nearly the end of the story. So, if that is something you find troubling, please be aware of it before picking up this book.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this book. Necromancers and what are, in a nutshell, nice zombies are not things you see often in books and especially not YA and I think Marsh did an excellent job. It was also nice to see a book with an over-arcing LGBT theme that wasn’t a huge sexual focus, just pleasantly there. I would highly recommend Reign of the Fallen to anyone who enjoys YA fantasy.

4/5

I was given an ARC of "Reign of the Fallen" for free through Netgalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Possible spoilers ahead!

"Reign of the Fallen" and I had a rocky beginning. I'd requested an ARC of this book in the middle of the night when looking for something new to read and then promptly forgot about it until I received the e-mail notifying me my request was accepted. I went into the book not sure if it was really going to be my kind of thing. The writing style was a little over the top for my tastes and I wasn't all that into the main character and her [first] love interest. However, all of the reviews I'd read were positive, so I kept reading.

Vaia, am I glad I did!

The writing style I wasn't sold on at the beginning ended up being my favourite feature of the book by the time I reached the end. And the main character, Odessa (A.K.A. Sparrow)? The character development! Oh, the character development. It felt like I was growing as a person with her; fighting Shades with her. I've found it difficult to make that sort of connection with characters in books these days, but by the end of "Reign of the Fallen" I found myself crying with every loss and every triumph, the author wrote those events so wonderfully.

At first, I couldn't understand why the author chose to kill off Evander. I thought surely it was going to be one of those stories where the protagonist's lover dies and the remainder of the book would be tracking down their killer in a blind rage. To be fair, that's kind of what happened, but it was also so much more than that... I judged "Reign of the Fallen" too soon and I urge you not to make the same mistake because I almost put this book down for good without knowing what I would've been missing.

You must be wondering why I didn't give "Reign of the Fallen" five stars instead of four if I loved it so much. Well, like I briefly mentioned earlier, I found it hard to connect with the characters at the start. The way the story began, it felt more like a sequel than the first book in the series. Like I was supposed to already have met the characters and be familiar with the world they lived in. Maybe it was too much too fast? I also found myself skimming over some parts because I simply didn't care enough about the King's raising and the little gathering that followed.

However, a little under halfway through "Reign of the Fallen", it started getting juicy and I was all about it from then on. Do I recommend this book? Yes. Will I be reading the sequel? It's highly likely!

Thank you to Razorbill for providing me with a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for review! All opinions are my own.

I've read two books so far this year and both have been five-star reads. I think it's safe to say that 2018 has been good to me (reading wise) so far! I was so excited when I was approved for this title on NetGalley because one, that synopsis, and two, that cover. Put the two together and you have one fantastic book! Also, this quote from the author may have made me immediately drop my current read and pick this one up. Possibly. Definitely.

https://twitter.com/SG_Marsh/status/953661526031978496 (link to quote)

Plot:
Reign of the Fallen follows Odessa, the king of Karthia's most treasured necromancers. When nobles die, it's Odessa's job to travel into the Deadlands and retrieve their souls and return them to "life." But there is a cost- the Dead must remain shrouded or risk being turned into a zombie-life monster called a Shade. If even a sliver of the Dead's flesh is revealed, the transformation into a Shade begins and there is no way to stop it. When a rise in Shade attacks begin, fear and doubt creep into Odessa's necromancer community. The loss of one of their own brings to light a conspiracy: someone is creating Shades by tearing off their shrouds and training them to attack the living. Odessa is then faced with a terrifying question: will her magic be what brings about the destruction of Karthia?

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH THIS BOOK THIS BOOK YOU GUYS THIS BOOK. Okay, now that I've had a moment to be unprofessional, let's get serious. This was a highly anticipated book for me this year and it definitely did not disappoint. Reign of the Fallen is beautiful on the outside and on the inside. Just watch out for the blood and gore between the pages. Of course, going into this I knew to expect necromancers and scary Shade monsters. And also that this book is "queer AF" as per the incredible quote from the author above. Seriously, I dropped everything and picked this up after reading that. What I did not expect was a crazy cool magic system, the dark and bloody events that occur throughout, the main character to fall and then rise again even stronger and more amazing than she was before. I cannot lie, I went through a lot of emotions while reading this book and yes, I did cry. But I also laughed and danced and celebrated one of my all-time favorite relationships/friendships I've ever read about. Trust me, it's cute as heck. This book moved at such a great pace that I didn't want to put it down. Everything, from the Shade conspiracy to the relationships and even Odessa's fall and rise, was delivered in such a great way that I never felt myself wanting to push ahead and read more about something else. Sarah Glenn Marsh did an incredible job at drawing the reader in and making you want to know more about every aspect of the story- even the hard parts.

Speaking of the hard parts, let's talk briefly about the addiction/depression portion of the story. This was a topic I was not expecting to read about in this book at all. I mean, it's a fantasy story so why would it be a part of the plot, right? It's such an important part of this story and I was so happy that the author included it. Depression and addiction are very real topics that happen to a lot of people, so why would a character in a fantasy world be excluded from experiencing them? Odessa loses someone very close to her and falls to absolute rock bottom. She's sad all the time and does nothing but walk around the castle in a haze thanks to a potion she takes to stay numb to the pain. Her friends try to help her and she lashes out at them because she doesn't want to stop taking the potion, she doesn't want to feel anything. This is such a huge topic to be covered in a YA book and I truly think that the author did a very great job with handling Odessa's depression and addiction. Not only does she eventually overcome it, but she overcomes it on her own. She's not saved by anyone (well, she does have the help of two friends but her treatment is cut short due to an incident) but rather realizes that she has to overcome her addiction and grief and deal with it in a healthier way because she needs to be there to help her friends, her king, and her people. I was just so happy to see not only a raw, real, accurate depiction of addiction and depression, but also that the author didn't have love save her or change her, but rather had her save herself. It was beautiful and I could easily give a thousand hugs to the author for not only tackling this topic but not taking the easy way out when resolving it.

Also, I want to tackle the magic system really fast. This was probably the coolest magic system I've ever read about! In this world, the goddess Vaia has five faces and there are five powers that individuals can have. But, and this is the cool part, the magic is determined by eye color! Blue eyes are necromancers, grey are weather mages, green are beastmasters, hazel are healers, and brown are creators/inventors. While not everyone chooses to to use the gifts that they have, some do and, like Odessa, train to become Masters of their magic. I just thought it was such a unique concept and one I don't recall ever reading about before! I was so happy to be able to encounter a character with each eye color and learn a little bit about their magic and what they could do. I'm crossing my fingers that we get to encounter more magic in the sequel!

Characters:
Odessa is one of my favorite characters that I've ever read about. Not only is she a necromancer, but she's also so incredibly strong. And also hilariously sassy, which I absolutely adore sassy main characters. She experiences the loss of someone she loves and falls into a deep depression, becoming addicted to something that helps relieve her of her pain. This takes up a pretty good chunk of the book and while it was sad and hard to read about (not because it was bad, but because I genuinely cared about Odessa and seeing her so distraught was just heartbreaking) it was so well-written. Odessa goes through some pretty incredible character development during this part of the book and it was so great to be able to read about. She goes from falling into a depression that spawns a destructive addiction, refusing help from her friends, and even going so far as to lash out at them for trying to help her, to overcoming her sadness, saving the kingdom, and finding out who she wants to be. It's such an amazing thing to watch Odessa change throughout this book and overcome the destructive habit she fell into and become this incredibly strong and independent person that is able to decide what's best for her and pursue the path she feels is right. Odessa is just an overall fantastic and inspiring character to read about and I really think she will quickly become a favorite of anyone who reads this book.

The other characters in this book were also so much fun to read about! I loved Odessa's interactions with her necromancer friends/family as well as with the king and princess. While Odessa was clearly my favorite character, I definitely appreciated that the other characters were so well developed and a big part of Odessa's life. She had such a wonderful friendship with the princess and her fellow necromancers and I just loved each interaction she had with all of them. The princess was adorable and incredibly smart and I am so excited to see where her character goes in the sequel! And Odessa's necromancer friends were also so supportive and caring and it was just wonderful to see such positive relationships within this book. There was also a slow-burning sort of relationship between Odessa and another character and I am forever grateful that this was not a case of insta-love but rather something that was rocky and complicated and had to be worked with as the book went on. Also, I really enjoyed that sexuality in this book was so open and not judged or frowned upon! Odessa is bisexual and there is a gay couple and neither of them are ever scrutinized or experience hatred in any way. It was great to see that this is a world that's accepting of all kinds of love, even if it is a fantasy world where necromancers bring the Dead back to life. The fact that Odessa is attracted to males and females is never an issue but rather is just a part of her. Basically, this book is full of wonderfully diverse and unforgettable characters that you're sure to fall in love with!

Writing:
If words like diverse characters, queer necromancer, blood and gore, or scary monsters haven't caught your attention yet, then the writing most definitely will. I've gone on and on about how amazing this book is, and it really is, but the writing just brings it to a whole new level. It's elegant and creepy and beautiful and really makes this book a work of art. Sarah Glenn Marsh does a fantastic job at not only creating the world of Karthia and the characters that inhabit it but also bringing it to life. The visuals created with her words are beyond anything I've ever read. You can really feel the scary vibes that the Shades put off when they're around or the tension between Odessa and another character. The feelings evoked from the writing will take you on a roller coaster ride of emotions while you read, but it will be the best ride you've ever experiences. Reign of the Fallen is a dark fantasy that tackles loss, grief, learning how to find yourself within the grief, and adapting to (even overcoming and becoming stronger in spite of) the pain incurred by the loss. It's unlike anything you'll ever read and won't be a book that you'll soon forget.

To sum it all up, Reign of the Fallen is a book that will surely appeal to all types of readers. It has such a wonderfully diverse cast, a plot that will keep you turning the pages late into the night, and writing that will evoke every emotion you could ever imagine. This is one I will strongly recommend to every and anyone looking for a new read this year, whether you're looking for an incredibly dark fantasy or just a book with some incredibly accurate representation on many fronts. Definitely don't' miss out on this one!

Visually, Reign of the Fallen was intricate and stunning. There were colors everywhere and different lifeforms were described beautifully. Even the Deadlands were attractive in an eerie sort of way, with their blooms, meadows, and gardens, though lacking the color and scent of living plants. Food and drink were described in a way that made it easy to envision the feast laid out before the attendees, to almost smell it coming off the page.

Odessa was a difficult character to get to like, though like might be a bit of a stretch. I forgot her name only a little bit into the book because the point of view is first person and it hardly came up. Having to flip back and figure out who the main character was doesn't bode well, especially as early as 13%. Then there was her personality, which felt all over the place. One moment she's a strong bad necromancer, the next she's easily offended by a comment Evander makes that she misread. Yes you can have variances in personality, soft moments among the rough, but that wasn't what was going on. I felt like she made a lot of foolish decisions, not thinking things through, and that muddied any positive feelings I might have had.

The relationship between her and Evander felt very forced to me. The way they interacted came across as stilted, like a textbook head over heels couple but without any spark, any life to make me believe in them. There were very few moments in which to see them as being together; most of the time they were in groups which I think hindered any attempt to get me to care about them.

After a certain event happened, I was reminded very strongly of Bella's situation in New Moon by Stephenie Meyer. Odessa took a page out of her book with the calming draft she became addicted to and doing so came across as infuriating and ridiculous, a waste of whatever strength Marsh wanted us to believe resided in Odessa. Her giving into grief was a combination of Bella and Padme (in Revenge of the Sith). There are a variety of ways to experience grief in reality, that I can admit to, but Odessa, on top of the fact that I couldn't really get to like her to start with, felt like someone I couldn't care much about after this.

The secondary relationship felt very convenient, like it had to be there and the person involved, other than Odessa, was the most "logical" choice. It could have been something, maybe, but the way it sort-of developed, sort-of floundered contributed to an apathetic feeling about the whole thing.

Valoria was easily my favorite character. In a kingdom that has forbidden change for the last two hundred years, she's secretly working on inventions and improvements for the city. As the second living heir to the king, she's in a unique position to be able to work on these illegal items and hide them away, waiting for a chance to enact a new canal system to help prevent the common plague or stable enlargement for animal comfort. She was brilliant and intense and the only one of Odessa's circle to push her to give up the calming draft that brings hallucinations of Evander and imaginary monsters.

Something I didn't understand about this world was: if there are so few blue-eyed people (the only ones who can see Deadlands gates) and even fewer that are chosen to do necromancer training, why aren't they protected more? Why aren't they guarded so that they don't get hurt or try to leave the country, as Evander wanted to do? Even though there were times when Odessa would mention other mages, such as beast mages or weather mages, they also seemed to have slight populations and yet no one besides Odessa talks about that. It seemed weird to have so few magical people and yet have no protections in place, even if they were misguided or bad methods.

Another thing was when Odessa made an observation about the nobles trying to forget that a necromancer had been ripped from their lives, that they were sorrowful. I didn't feel like this observation, or any of Odessa's about the citizens level of despair toward Master Nicanor's death rings true. Necromancers are a close group and they're valued for their skill, but as people they don't seem important to nobles. I think the citizens are fine so long as there are more necromancers and Odessa thinking they're drowning their sorrow in cake comes off fake because we don't see any emotional connection to the necromancers as people.

I had issues with the pacing of the book. Things seemed to alternately happen too slowly or jump ahead too quickly, making for a jarring experience. The characters added to my blase feeling about the plot line. I was more interested in the secondary characters than the primary ones, which made it difficult to really get into the story as I spent a lot time focusing on the "wrong" people. There were at least a couple of inconsistencies with the information given, scene changes and the like, that irked me as well.

There was also the matter of the villain of the piece, the big bad that's supposed to be on the "wrong" side and be the person we cheer against. The villain in Reign of the Fallen was more than a little disappointing. I felt like they came across as petulant and boring. It's as if, while I was reading, I saw the name and thought "Oh, then. Okay then, moving on." There was no shock, no suspense, nothing to have me invested in the hero finally discovering the identity of their enemy and trying to defeat them.

I can easily see why this book would attract fans, as it's written well enough, but not to my liking. I hope a lot of people can find enjoyment in it, but for me, I think I'll go back and read Marsh's earlier book Fear the Drowning Deep.

❝ “Progress,” the king always says when he gives his twice-yearly public address, “is a slow-acting poison that will ensure Karthia’s eventual death.” ❞

Reign of the Fallen has a gorgeous cover and it’s the first thing that made me want to read the book. There, I said it! Seriously, I love the colors and simplicity of it ❤

Once I actually started to read the book I fell in love with the world of Karthia and all the magic that was woven into it. I liked the little details like having different flowers mean things so that the dead could communicate with the living or how eye color related to the kind of magic you possessed. It was those little details that made Karthia really come alive.

And since we’re talking about magic: I really liked the different types of magic that people had. Out of the different kinds of magic, Necromancers were definitely the biggest focus of the book. They were key to society and kind of held above the rest for their ability to bring back people’s loved ones. The way that Necromancers undergo so much rigid training and how they work in pairs reminded me a little bit of the parabatai relationships in The Mortal Instruments.

Now, I’ll jump into the characters a bit, starting with our main character, Odessa. I came to really love Odessa’s spark. She was tough and didn’t give up easily. However, she was also really closed off to change. I think she tended to stay with what was familiar and comfortable and that’s why she couldn’t fully support Evander in the beginning. It was also what kept their relationship from moving forward as well. Still, she was very caring about others and I think that made her a likable character.

Another one of my favorite characters was Valoria because of her bravery both physically and intellectually. She continued to do her research and looked to the future rather than be content with living in the past. She was strong and dedicated I would say for all she did for Odessa.

❝ “You looked like a princess that day, standing on the manor step with mud on your boots and leaves in your hair, and all those caterpillars you’d found for me. I remember thinking I’d never met anyone as in love with the world around us as I was, until you.” ❞

If you like books that are LGBTQ then this is also a good read for that as there are a few characters with different sexualities represented in the book (gay, lesbian and bisexual). I enjoyed this because it was presented really casually in the book and the characters were allowed to be themselves without making a big deal out of it. They just were and it was accepted, and I liked that.

As for the plot, I think part of it was predictable. I wasn’t surprised with the general turn of events given that the kingdom has been stagnant for so long; however, I still think that Marsh was able to surprise us with the romance that crept in and the powers behind the Shades in the book. Even when you could see some of the things coming I still enjoyed the story.

One thing that was maybe a little frustrating was how Odessa fell apart and continuously put herself at risk without really thinking about how it would affect others. She also seemed blind to others’ grief for a long time. I wanted her to pick herself up and move on, to find support in her friends, and to be that strong character we’d met in the beginning. We did eventually get her back, but it did take a while.

As for the ending of the book: I think it left off on a really solid note. I felt like enough was resolved and most of my questions were answered. I think it did a good job of leaving it open enough to future obstacles the kingdom and its people would have to face. It had hope. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what gets tossed their way next.

Reign of the Fallen was just released today, January 23rd, so go get your copy!

This book was amazing! The premise alone left me in awe. Besides the cover (which is absolutely gorgeous) there are so MANY things to love about this book. I will admit that there were parts that broke my heart and made me want to stop reading (not because it wasn't good, but because I get sad quite easily), but I powered through it. A warning, this book is not a fun story. It is extremely dark. I love the fact that the characters were all diverse in regards to race, gender, and sexuality. Odessa is the feminist character of my heart. An absolute must have for any library!

Thank you to Razorbill and Netgalley for a copy of the eARC in exchange for a fair review.


Odessa is a necromancer, she is a master necromancer that raises the dead of the royal family. Her and her lover Evander and raising the King in a normal situation, when they realize something is very wrong. One of the most powerful necromancers in the Kingdom is found dead in the deadlands and it takes them longer than normal to find and raise the King.


But the strange happenings don't end there, when a Duke disappears and is found another area a Shade, and more necromancers are being killed. Odessa is shaken to the core when her lover and partner Evander is killed when they go to the deadlands. Someone is turning the dead into Shades and using them to kill the only people who can control the dead.


Soon Odessa is caught up in a vast conspiracy fighting for the survival of everyone that she loves and the kingdom she serves. Will she be able to save them or will she be the next necromancer killed?


I have to say this wasn't initially on my radar, just because I haven't been reading a lot of fantasy lately, but when I read the premise I knew that I had to request it. Overall I enjoyed it, I didn't quite love it, but it was well written and fantastic world. I mean a world in which the dead still rule? That conspiracy was on point as well. My only real problem was it seemed flat in places and the I wasn't exactly thrilled about the love interests. I am not going to say more about that because spoilers. Although I will say I liked the girl interest more than the boy, but the connection between the two made it all just weird.


I also have to say that I love the whole mask concept, but when you get to the end it kind of makes you huh it is that simple really? I know that is so vague, but when you read this you will get what I am saying about the masks and making shades. I am really interested to see where this is going and I am kind of sad that I have to wait a whole year or so for the next book!

I love the concept of necromancy, so I knew I had to read this book! (The bisexuality rep was an excellent bonus!)

Reign of the Fallen follows Odessa, one of Karthia’s top necromancers on a dangerous journey. The Necromancers retrieve the souls of the dead from a shadow world called the Deadlands and raise them, so yeah… we got living/deadly things heh 😅.

The only reason why I don’t read a lot of fantasy is because the world building and all the new things we are introduced on in that FIRST book of a series, tends to confuse me or bores me. BUT THIS WAS NOT THE CASE! The story intrigued me right from the start! We get a glimpse of how intense (and dangerous) necromancy is, and we see badass, smart, and strong women! The heroine is pure awesome, the world building is PHENOMENAL, aaaand there’s death, dark monsters and soooo many more amazing fantasy elements! 🙌🏽

Skip this part if you don’t want any “romance” spoilery things… but… WOWOWOWOW! I never expected to be okay with a character having a crush on their *recently dead partner*’s sister but YUP! The romance is THAT interesting. Omg, did I just say that the romance is interesting in a fantasy book? This book is definitely different! 😱

This book is nothing like I expected. I received an e-ARC thanks to the publisher via Netgalley. And that does not change my review in any way.

3.5/5

The concept to this story was very interesting, Odessa is a necromancer, her job is to kill the island's dead as they begin to show signs of becoming a shade and return them to their bodies, or to just bring a newly dead individual back to life. In order to do so she must go to the Deadlands. The Deadlands were the most interesting part for me, however I felt they needed to be expanded upon. We learn how they're constantly changing and about the flowers and the water, but not a whole lot else. The island they live on hasn't changed hundreds of years because the dead don't like change, which I imagine would be true, but hey you have to keep your entire body covered at all times unless you'd like to become a Shade, so move over and let change happen. 😂

Another really cool concept was that your eye color determined what type of magic you'd be capable of. For example blue eyes people are necromancers, Green eyed people are Beast Masters, and etc. Which had me thinking, I have eyes that depending on who you as range from blue to grey to green depending on the lighting and who you ask. Because of this would I be incapable of magic or would I have an aptitude for all three possible forms of magic? And does everyone have a gift and some just choose to ignore it or do only some people have magical gifts? I feel like this may have been hastily explained, but I'm not 100% sure. The concept was still really interesting to me.

This book does have a good amount of diversity in it, although that was not a huge deciding factor in requesting an ARC of this book for me. The idea of magic being used to bring the dead back to life and the main character being a necromancer was what brought me in. The book also touches on addiction as the main character eventually develops an addiction after some trauma. However, I feel like the addiction was a little glazed over, but at the same time if it were expanded upon it may end up a touch boring. There was a lot of action in the beginning and end, but it became a little slow through the middle. Yet somehow I couldn't put this book down even though I needed to work in the morning.

The love interests of Odessa, I think that was what bugged me the most. She started SO much in love with Evander. Despite how much in love they were, she switches to a new love interest incredibly quickly. I was incredibly happy to have a protagonist who was already in a relationship. I'm kind of bored with reading about a protagonist falling in love with multiple characters in a single novel. Unfortunately I should have seen that happiness of mine being thrown away. The relationship the protagonist ends with just does not seem healthy to me. Yea, they love each other but who they are and what started their relationship just felt too soon and unbelievable as well. I don't want to spoil it for people plan on reading it.

I felt so much in the first half of this book. This book made me feel I feel happy and excited in the beginning, then I became scared. And then omg the heartbreak I felt for the protagonist and what she was going through.

We learned so much about the main characters: Odessa, Evander, Jax, Simeon, Meredy, Valoria, and etc. And I knew what most of them looked or smelled like. However, I could not for the life of me conjure a great image of a Shade. I kinda imagined them looking like a tall, large Smeagol, only more scary to be honest. This was another thing that could have been explained better.

Overall it was a fast paced, easy read for me, and if you're looking for a quick and interesting concept I definitely recommend it. Since I read an ARC it's quite possible some of the things that irked me have changed for the finished copy.

3.5 stars

The Dead King and his Dead court reign eternally, kept moving and alive by their necromancer magicians. The Dead and the living exist peacefully side by side, except that one glance of Dead skin by a living person could turn the Dead into a Shade—vicious, hungry and terrifying. When their former master is murdered by a Shade before their eyes, necromancers Odessa and her boyfriend Evander are determined to bring the creature down. Yet murder and deception lurk in every corner and could bring more heartbreak than Odessa ever imagined.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book, particularly the idea of the Dead and living coexisting peacefully, with a system of ruling and governance and gods—with the only exception being that change was outlawed. I loved it so much that I wanted to see more of it described in the book, and really, there is a lack of worldbuilding in this that made disappointing, in spite of the quick plot, multiple friendships and fascinating world. I wanted more. More examination of what made the world the way it was, more on the study of different eye colors granting different gifts—and prices for those gifts. More personality to the characters, who were diverse and fascinating but frustratingly one-dimensional.

Despite my wanting more, more,more, this is a fascinating book that reminded me a bit of Sabriel and something else that I'm forgetting at the moment—and I'm looking forward to the sequel!

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

WARNING: SPOILERS

First, just a quick word of caution: DO NOT be fooled by the cover of this book. It is not a “happy” book and it covers real “unhappy” topics such as death and addiction.

I only have a couple issues with this book, one of which is that the beginning was very slow; it didn’t pick up pace until about 25-30% in and I contemplated dropping the book because of this. However, I decided to continue reading and am very happy with my choice.
This book made me laugh and it also made me (not quite, but close) cry. I found myself very invested in the characters and was on the edge of my seat whenever any of them were in danger. I thought the ways the characters chose to grieve were very believable. I think my favorite part of this book was the magic system. Each person’s eye color decides what kind of magic they have, which is just so cool! I have never read about anything similar so it was quite interesting.
The only other thing I really didn’t like about the book and that was the main character’s (Odessa) romantic relationship with her deceased boyfriend’s sister (Meredy). Maybe the author meant for it to feel wrong, but it seemed strange to me that Odessa chose to pursue a romantic relationship with Meredy mere weeks after losing her boyfriend (whom she had intentions of being with forever). Meredy had also just lost her girlfriend in an accident, so maybe they were drawn together because of their mutual pain, but it still felt wrong. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book and would be interested in reading more works by Sarah Glenn Marsh.

Oh my goodness did I love this book! I just finished my e-ARC this morning and am so excited about the fact that I have already completed one book this year that is an early contender for 'my favorite book of 2018'! Reign follows the story of a strong, independent female protagonist named Odessa who is a master necromancer in the kingdom of Karthia. This books starts out quickly and in my opinion really never lets up. I read it so fast, racing to the conclusion - throughout the course of the story my pulse was raised many times, my heart crushed and my spirits soared over a full range of emotions. The magic system is very cool - I loved the necromancers, healers, beast masters, royals, etc. - and the world creation was vivid and believable. The characters were very likable (I have a few different faves) and the Shades (the monsters of our tale) scary enough to keep you glued to the pages. I would recommend this book all day long to anyone who loves YA fantasy and look forward to seeing what new horizons will await us in Book 2!!! A huge thank you to the publisher for giving me the opportunity to experience this book early - I am excited to hear what other readers think!

I was super excited for Reign of the Fallen from the moment I heard about it. I high fantasy novel featuring necromancers, royalty, and a bisexual heroine? Yes please! In this world, change and progress are forbidden. Royals are brought back from the dead by trained necromancers, but if anyone sees them outside their specially made shroud, the royals will turn into monsters. To make matters worse, this seems to be happening more frequently.

The book starts out with a bang, and just keeps exploding until the final page. That said, it is a dark book wrapped in a pretty pink cover. The book deals with the topics of death, grief, revenge, and more. It’s not always an easy read, but it is a good one. I highly recommend this for readers who are a fan of high fantasy books that are okay with it being a little gritty.

I really liked the main character, Odessa. I could really see her journey over the course of the book, and I can’t wait to see more of her. At different points, I shipped her with various different characters as well. I don’t know what that means, maybe just that she’d be good with anyone. After everything she goes through in Reign of the Fallen, I just want Odessa to be happy, but I fear it might be a while yet.

I tried really hard to finish this book. I trudged through 32%, so about 120 pages, and I felt so disconnected with plot and characters, and everything. I had no idea what was happening. When people started getting introduced it went in one ear and out the other. Nothing memorable stood out about these characters. Even Odessa, the main character, didn't do anything for me.

From what I grasped from what I read, people have magic abilities based on their eye color (???) and people with blue eyes can see spiritgates that bring them into the Deadlands where they can resurrect people. But if you look at the face of a dead person they turn into a deadly zombie, so all the dead people have to shroud their faces (???) and also no one can leave the city because change is outlawed (???). I don't know, I'm already hella confused and that was all in the first two chapters.

I heard plenty of great things about this book, but when reading a story feel like walking through mud in a rainstorm, I need to cut the rope at some point. And I guess when I didn't feel any empathy when people started dying nor cared for Odessa's grief was a good time to close the book and just not even try anymore.

So, yes. Not a fan of this. I hate being a black sheep, but I just don't have time for books that can't hold my interest anymore.