Reign The Earth by AC Gaughen | Audiobook Review

I received this book for free from Library, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

"Another fantasy romance in the vein of books by Sabaa Tahir, Renee Ahdieh. . . . Shalia matures from a frightened girl in a foreign land to a woman unwilling to allow her destiny or desires to be controlled by the men around her." - School Library Journal

"I will be thinking about Shalia's strength and fearlessness (and swooning over the slow-burn romance) as I anxiously await book two!" - Erin Bowman, author of Vengeance Road

Shalia is a proud daughter of the desert, but after years of devastating war with the adjoining kingdom, her people are desperate for an end to the violence that has claimed so many of their loved ones. Willing to trade her freedom to ensure the safety of her family, Shalia becomes Queen of the Bone Lands, a country where magic is outlawed and the Elementae--those that can control earth, air, fire and water--are traitors, subject to torture . . . or worse.

Before she is even crowned, Shalia discovers that she can bend the earth to her will. Trapped between her husband's irrational hatred of the Elementae and a dangerous rebellion led by her own brother, Shalia must harness her power and make an impossible choice: save her family, save the Elementae, or save herself.

Why Did I Listen To Reign The Earth by AC Gaughen?

Reign The Earth by AC Gaughen was one of the newer audiobooks available to borrow via Hoopla. Also, it is one of the newer eARCs that I have to read and review. It kind of felt like a no brainer to grab it. Initially, this book caught my attention on Netgalley due to the author. I adored Scarlet. Although, I have not read further in the series — I will have to remedy that this year. Also, the jacket copy and the cover made Reign The Earth sound pretty awesome in all actuality.

What’s The Story Here?

AC Gaughen’s Reign The Earth is the first in her new Elementae series. This book follows main character Shalia who grew up in the desert. Shalia loves her family and community. However, it is also wartorn. She decides to make a sacrifice and put an end to the fighting. Shalia does this by marrying Calix and becoming Queen of the Bonelands.

Alas, it does not go how Shalia wants it to go. Calix has a life mission to kill off people with powers known as the Elementae. He also is one abusive MF. He is the worst. Shalia finds friendship and comfort in his brother Galen. These feelings ignite something in her and as it turns out, Shalia has Elementae power over the earth. Meanwhile, there is a rebellion brewing against Calix. Things are about to get INTENSE.

How Did I Like Reign The Earth?

Reign The Earth by AC Gaughen provides quite the exciting start to the new series. I am so eager for the next book! Shalia is such a wonderful character. She’s strong and you can tell that she truly cares about her people. I could relate to Shalia in a few ways, however, to describe would definitely be a spoiler. Then of course, there’s a pretty decent ship in this book and I am excited to see where the end game is going to lead us readers. Finally, the world building is 100% solid. I cannot wait to spend more time in this world Gaughen has created.

How’s The Narration?

The audiobook is narrated by Soneela Nankani. Straight up, Nankani is a new to me narrator. I liked her voicing though. She does series quite well. She also puts emotion into her narration without sounding overwrought. I am HERE FOR THIS. The audiobook is 14 hours long which isn’t too bad when you listen to it at a sped up rate, which is something that I do. I know I will be continuing this series, but I am not sure if that will be via audio or print. Either way, it is a fantastic story.

Other reviews of Reign The Earth by AC Gaughen:

• The Book Bratz – “had me on the edge of my seat“
• Carina’s Books – “all kinds of fantastic“
• Tea In The Treetops – “The final few chapters were nail-biting“

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April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

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