Reign the Earth (The Elementae, #1)

by A. C. Gaughen

Shalia is a proud daughter of the desert, but after years of devastating war with the adjoining kingdom, her people are desperate for peace. Willing to trade her freedom to ensure the safety of her family, Shalia becomes Queen of the Bonelands.

But she soon learns that her husband, Calix, is motivated only by his desire to exterminate the Elementae—mystical people who can control earth, wind, air, and fire. Even more unsettling are Shalia’s feelings for her husband’s brother, which unleash a power over the earth she never knew she possessed—a power that could get her killed. As rumors of a rebellion against Calix spread, Shalia must choose between the last chance for peace and her own future as an Elementae.

This intense, richly drawn high-fantasy by the author of Scarletwill hold readers spellbound.

• ISBN10: 1681191113
• ISBN13: 9781681191119
• Publish Date: 30 January 2018
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
• Imprint: Bloomsbury Childrens Books
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 448
• Language: English

Reviews

[ladygrey]

AC Gaughen is not Kasie West. She doesn’t want to be and this book doesn’t try to be anything like Kasie West. But when I picked up Reign the Earth, I was kind of in the mood for Kasie West so that probably colors my review some.

Reign the Earth is serious. And brutal without being graphic. 25% less brutal than Melina Marchetta and 50% less graphic. But, like Marchetta, Gaughen lets her characters deal with serious realities of life with a compelling dash of magic. And she says some really great things about dealing with those things and being a woman and that’s the virtue of this book.

I liked the magic and the overall mythology. And I really liked the friendships and family in this book. Those relationships are so much stronger than the romance and they propel the book forward. Especially I love that her brothers play such a prominent role in the story and how close she is to them.

And so I guess Reign the Earth isn’t a “fun” book to read. But it’s a good book to read. With good characters and a strong heroine who is interesting enough to carry the story.

[cornerfolds]

Read more of my reviews at Cornerfolds.com!

Reign the Earth is a book I'd seen a bit of controversy over. It hadn't been on my radar before that, but when I read the synopsis and saw the gorgeous cover, I knew I had to read it! Lucky for me, I found it as an audiobook through my library. Even in my excitement, I was a bit nervous to read it, just based on some of the claims I'd seen about it in reviews, so I'll try to address some of them as I go.

Shalia is a daughter of the desert who is willing to marry Calix, king of the kingdom her people have been at war with for years, in order to secure peace. Although she is optimistic, she quickly learns that Calix is power-hungry and completely obsessed with completely exterminating the Elementae, a people that has been all but wiped out already.

I love Shalia! She is a strong protagonist who does everything she can in a very complicated situation to improve the lives of others. Shalia is not your typical YA heroine though. She doesn't learn super badass fighting skills and destroy the every bad guy she comes across. Shalia is strong in ways that probably would be more realistic in a real world situation in which a girl is married off to an insane monarch. I loved that this book gave us a strong female who showed strength in ways I wasn't used to seeing in YA fantasy.

Calix is definitely a complicated character. He is easy to hate, but there were also brief moments when I understood his actions. Then there's Galen, the brother of Calix, yet another character that I love. He's kind and strong and accepting and I really hope to see more of him in book two! I also loved Kairos, Shalia's brother. The characters are all so well-written and I loved getting to know them all better, with the exception of Calix, who I hope dies a slow, fiery death. :)

But let me dive into the story and the controversial nature of this book. There were several things I saw in reviews that I'd like to briefly mention and discuss, so I'm switching to a bit of a different format. Beware of mild spoilers ahead!

1) This is more adult than YA - I see where this is coming from. There were certainly some adult situations, but it did still feel like YA. The characters were teenagers and the romance and fantasy all felt YA aside from some of the heavier situations.

2) This book is just too heavy/not happy enough - While there are certainly some heavy topics in this book (arranged marriage, pregnancy, abuse, miscarriage), I don't think that makes it too heavy, but it's certainly heavier than your average YA fantasy. To be honest, I don't think there's anything wrong with exploring some difficult topics in YA and I think they were handled well. Not everything in fiction needs to be sunshine and rainbows. That being said, knowing what to expect going in probably contributed to my enjoyment. Had I not known that this book would be more difficult than my average read, I don't know that I would've liked it as much.

3) This book includes non-consensual sex - Okay, so... I just didn't see it that way. There's a difference between non-consent and non-enjoyment and that's just the truth. There was never an instance of forced sex in this book. There was an instance of sex as part of an arranged marriage that was not enjoyable, but was consented to multiple times.

All of that being said, don't get me wrong! There is certainly mental/physical abuse in Reign the Earth and those topics, while hard to read, are handled well by the author. If you read to escape reality and don't enjoy reading about dark or difficult topics, definitely skip this book because it is not the one for you! But if you're able to go through a difficult, emotional journey with a strong character, you will probably enjoy this, even though it might be hard to read at times.

The magic and the world of Reign the Earth were really well written, although I would have liked to know more about the Elementae and where their power came from. Perhaps there will be more about them in future installments. My main complaint with this book is that it was just so long. Although everything contributed to the story, there were just times when it dragged and it did take me a bit longer than normal to read.

Overall, I really enjoyed Reign the Earth! I really connected with the characters and I'm eager to know the rest of Shalia's story. The romance wasn't a huge part of the book, but I love the direction it's going and can't wait to read more! I did find it to lag at times and I'm hoping that future books will be a bit quicker now that this chunk of backstory is out of the way. If you enjoy fantasy and don't mind books that explore difficult, real-world topics, this is probably a book you'll love!

Beautiful, heartbreaking, liberating, and a whole host of other words to describe this glorious book. This book gripped me from the very beginning and never let go. It's a beautiful story of family, the one your born with and the one you make (seriously, the family aspect is AMAZING - and heartbreaking), struggle, and fighting for what you believe in. It's complex and beautiful and destroying. It deals with many hard topics, but in a realistic way that tears your heart out while making you raise your fist in the air to support Shalia. It's a hard book to read in so many instances, but is also breathtakingly beautiful and shows both the cruel and hope found in human nature. Honestly, I just fail to accurately describe this on so many levels. Just read it. It's a story that makes you think, makes your scream, and makes you hope. I can't wait to see where it goes. And, because I absolutely have to: I LOVE SHALIA AND KAIROS AND GALEN AND ZEPH SO DANG MUCH.

[jeannamichel]

This book deserves all the love!

Shalia is a daughter of the desert. When the King of the Bone Lands proposes peace with her people, she is willing to give up her freedom in order to become his Queen. In the Bone Lands, magic is outlawed. But, sometime after accepting the King's hand, Shalia discovers she can control Earth. With this newfound power, she must learn to control it, before someone else notices the power within her.

-The protagonist, Shalia is daring, relatable, and extremely caring. I found her adjustment to life as queen extremely fresh. Unlike many other peasant-turned-royal characters, Shalia seemed to hold onto her kind and loving nature while also performing queenly duties where she exhumed pride and confidence. Each scene seemed a surprise as readers waited to see how Shalia would react. And her sass, her small jabs and remarks were absolutely gold.
-The slow burn romance, in Reign the Earth, gives readers all the feels. Gaughen builds all her relationships gorgeously.
-Danae's character felt too rushed to be appreciated. From the beginning, readers immediately warm up to her as she is a face of kindness in this strange land. However, when Shalia begins uncovering secrets, Danae rushes into telling them without question. I wish there had been a bit more anticipation.
-Calix, the King of the Bone Lands, wins villain of the year. He is absolutely the worst, in the best way possible.
-This book is more than just your standard fantasy novel, it's a wonderfully structured story that pulls at your heart with amazing complex relationships, a burning romance and an inspiring and empowering female lead.
-Despite my undying love for fantasy, I must admit that most books of the genre suffer from dumping too much information at once on the reader which usually creates a slow pace. Reign the Earth suffers from no such element. Gaughen builds her world gently, giving information as needed.
-The writing is very well-paced. I've never before read a book by Gaughen but Reign the Earth will certainly not be my last. Her style is fantastic with tremendous amounts of visual details to keep readers enthralled.
-The ending was as action packed as ever, the twists just kept coming like punches in a boxing match. I'm still feeling the hurt (but it's a good hurt, you know).
-This is book one of The Elementae series. After the masterpiece that is Reign the Earth, I am looking forward to where Gaughen leads the story next. I only wished the sequel was released already; I need to know what happens!

Reign the Earth by A.C Gaughen is a fantastic fantasy that keeps readers on the edge of their seat. Filled with in-depth characters, heart-pounding action, and superb world building, Reign the Earth is the book you need to read next.

[bookishzelda]

Reign the Earth was a book that I felt like held nothing back. It’s a story about a girl who refuses to let evil prevail over her life and wants to find peace for everyone. There is definitely violence both as far as the persecution of a certain people as well as in a relationship.

Shalia is a great character. She is a daughter of the desert and her feet will not fail her. She marries the villain of the story and this puts her in his direct path. I’m not sure I’ve read a story where the character is confronted in this way over and over. She comes into the story dreaming of peace and finding that things are not so simple. We see her change and grow as she sees both the horrors and kindness people are capable of. That blood and loyalty can have two different meanings. She might find herself hardening in some ways, but her love for others is her greatest strength and it’s not something that can be taken away.

One of the things I loved the most about this book was Shalia’s relationship with her brothers. Maybe it’s because i have three older brothers, I tend to gravitate towards these kinds of things. The bond she has Kairos (Kai) is something that is a great comfort to her and the reader. I’m like oh thank goodness Kai is there for her. You don’t have to be a lone wolf to be a hero and it’s okay to need support. Her whole family is the type that it doesn’t matter if they are separated by death or distance they are this constant force. I love that. She also has her best friend Kata, who is like a sister to her. They also have such a strong bond and no judgement towards one another.

So there is magic in this book. The Elementia are people who control the different types. Fire, Wind, Water and Earth. It’s very cool how the Earth element takes center stage. It always feel like that is the one nobody wants to be. You see how having the power over the Earth can be really cool! Shalia finds out that she also possesses powers, which puts her in a tricky situation. She doesn’t even realize the extent that Calix is willing to go in order to eliminate the Elementia, which is not limited to torture. As she comes into her own powers, she sees that you can’t hide who you are and this is where we also see growth in her.

The romance was a nice slow burn that is forbidden. It’s not overpowering to the story but it’s there in the vein. You find yourself rooting for Shalia to find happiness at least somewhere.

The book also deals with pregnancy, which is not something you often see in a YA and I found to be really interesting.

I really enjoyed Reign the Earth. I’m already desperate for the next one to see how things will go. I’m not sure what to expect. The book is violent and dark but also has a glimmer of hope that runs through.

[Ashley]

I can't even review this book. It was AMAZING. It was everything I hoped it would be (and maybe more). I loved everything about it!

What a story. I read this so fast and was happy that the timeline was long enough to allow the story to develop believably.

Book two is 100% on my TBR list.