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Ruined Reign
Princess. Traitor. Usurper. Queen.
Several months have passed since Jill fled her home and narrowly escaped King Malum, the entity possessing her brother's body. Now she hides in Grimzy's homeland, the Whitesaw mountains, and wonders how to fulfill her vow to take the throne as Queen of Erinya. Yet each day more refugees arrive at the mountains, fleeing Malum's monsters that devastate the kingdom. And with winter in the air, dwindling supplies, and threats mounting from every direction, Jill must rise to the occasion, or let Erinya be devoured.
After the events at the well, Millie's fate has become entwined with Malum's. The Black King brought her back from the dead, and in return she has pledged herself as his Paladin. But fate has twisted plans and now she's been tasked with eliminating Jill. Millie knows she can’t deny the king—that he is cruel and unkillable—yet she swears the prince she cares about shines through the darkness in Malum's eyes. . .
David isn't sure how he wound up tracking down the Saints' Heirs with his odd, new allies, but he knows one thing for certain; he must not return to Jill. Where she goes, his death will surely follow. But when he learns that Jill is on the run and being hunted by her former maid, he fears he can stay away no longer—even if it means shattering himself in the process.
Return to Erinya where new alliances will be forged and more than hearts will break.
Several months have passed since Jill fled her home and narrowly escaped King Malum, the entity possessing her brother's body. Now she hides in Grimzy's homeland, the Whitesaw mountains, and wonders how to fulfill her vow to take the throne as Queen of Erinya. Yet each day more refugees arrive at the mountains, fleeing Malum's monsters that devastate the kingdom. And with winter in the air, dwindling supplies, and threats mounting from every direction, Jill must rise to the occasion, or let Erinya be devoured.
After the events at the well, Millie's fate has become entwined with Malum's. The Black King brought her back from the dead, and in return she has pledged herself as his Paladin. But fate has twisted plans and now she's been tasked with eliminating Jill. Millie knows she can’t deny the king—that he is cruel and unkillable—yet she swears the prince she cares about shines through the darkness in Malum's eyes. . .
David isn't sure how he wound up tracking down the Saints' Heirs with his odd, new allies, but he knows one thing for certain; he must not return to Jill. Where she goes, his death will surely follow. But when he learns that Jill is on the run and being hunted by her former maid, he fears he can stay away no longer—even if it means shattering himself in the process.
Return to Erinya where new alliances will be forged and more than hearts will break.
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Published March 4, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 4, 2025
This book is an edge-of- your- seat- continuation of the dark nursery rhymes we remember from the first book. Adding some new players to the game (and killing some off of course, it is fantasy after all) the last half of the book had me up til 1 am so I could find out what happened.
May 20, 2025
This is a fantastic book, and I would’ve finished it much sooner had I had better time management skills. Each chapter is usually short but packed with information, storylines, and character building. It’s a great contribution to the fantasy genre.
I’ll mostly write about character development because it was very well done in this book. There were no sudden changes that I often see in other stories, and when certain events occurred, it built the characters slowly, mirroring how someone would grow in real life. The shifts were gradual and realistic, and it made sense with how the plot flowed.
To write about so many lovable characters is one thing, but to write about so many lovable SIDE characters is another. Sometimes this many characters can get confusing, and when I was learning about them all, it was a little. But then we got to know them (Kylian, Peter, Grimzy, Zyla, Asif, Luca - just to name a few), and I found myself loving just as much as the main characters. It was even better that we got to see some of their POVs in this story.
Just like the first book, I perked up when I saw that the POV had changed to Jill or David. I love both of them, and watching them change and grow was both frustrating and rewarding at the same time. And their relationship had me smiling to myself - it’s been a while since I’ve caught myself doing that for book characters. It was far from anything cheesy and felt like genuine love.
I especially loved seeing Millie grow in confidence in who she is on her road of self-discovery. It took a lot of people to bring her to that place, but she ultimately made the decision to choose confidence all on her own. It definitely helps with Doon by her side. (Hopefully not a huge Book 1 spoiler…) And Bo is the same way. She goes through a lot of development in this book, but I loved reading about her growth via the battles and inner conflicts.
The plot drew me crazy, but it’s because the story isn’t over yet. I read through the acknowledgments and saw that this was a tribute to other fantasy authors who leave books on cliffhangers. So many seeds have been planted, and I only hope our author can remember them all as she writes the next book. It’s a lot of pressure, but it’s part of the joy of writing. Besides, pressure makes diamonds. :)
Looking forward to Book 3!
I’ll mostly write about character development because it was very well done in this book. There were no sudden changes that I often see in other stories, and when certain events occurred, it built the characters slowly, mirroring how someone would grow in real life. The shifts were gradual and realistic, and it made sense with how the plot flowed.
To write about so many lovable characters is one thing, but to write about so many lovable SIDE characters is another. Sometimes this many characters can get confusing, and when I was learning about them all, it was a little. But then we got to know them (Kylian, Peter, Grimzy, Zyla, Asif, Luca - just to name a few), and I found myself loving just as much as the main characters. It was even better that we got to see some of their POVs in this story.
Just like the first book, I perked up when I saw that the POV had changed to Jill or David. I love both of them, and watching them change and grow was both frustrating and rewarding at the same time. And their relationship had me smiling to myself - it’s been a while since I’ve caught myself doing that for book characters. It was far from anything cheesy and felt like genuine love.
I especially loved seeing Millie grow in confidence in who she is on her road of self-discovery. It took a lot of people to bring her to that place, but she ultimately made the decision to choose confidence all on her own. It definitely helps with Doon by her side. (Hopefully not a huge Book 1 spoiler…) And Bo is the same way. She goes through a lot of development in this book, but I loved reading about her growth via the battles and inner conflicts.
The plot drew me crazy, but it’s because the story isn’t over yet. I read through the acknowledgments and saw that this was a tribute to other fantasy authors who leave books on cliffhangers. So many seeds have been planted, and I only hope our author can remember them all as she writes the next book. It’s a lot of pressure, but it’s part of the joy of writing. Besides, pressure makes diamonds. :)
Looking forward to Book 3!
March 19, 2025
I absolutely loved this book! Ruined Reign turns classic nursery rhymes into an epic fantasy following the stories of characters based off of Jack and Jill, Little Bo Peep, Little Miss Muffet, and Humpty Dumpty.
While there were so many aspects of this book that I enjoyed, the characters have to be my favorite part. Ruined Reign has a HUGE cast, and yet there wasn’t one character who fell through the cracks. Each one was extremely well-developed, interesting, and had a fleshed-out arc. The narration POVs switched quite a bit, and I loved every single one. I felt so connected to the characters and I can’t wait to see how their arcs continue.
Kind of along the same line, something I really appreciated about Ruined Reign was how well done the female characters are written. Every single one of them had this beautiful balance of femininity and strength that is often hard for me to find in other YA fantasy novels. The softer female characters did not let their meekness stop them from standing up for what was right and the warrior women of the story did not solely focus on how good of a fighter they were, but that they were fighting to protect others. This was so refreshing to read and has definitely set a standard of how I want to see girls and women represented in the fantasy genre.
Lastly, I loved the theme of fighting for what is right that Ruined Reign just seems to embody. Fiction is the training ground for how we react when we face hard things in our own lives, and that is why it is so important that we read fiction that encourages us to make the right choice, even when it’s hard. Well, Ruined Reign is one of these books. I felt so encouraged by the end of this story and it’s one that I will definitely turn back to in the future.
If you love books that are clean, dark, fantastical, have remarkable characters, and promote strong values, you NEED to read this series. I cannot wait to see how the story continues!
While there were so many aspects of this book that I enjoyed, the characters have to be my favorite part. Ruined Reign has a HUGE cast, and yet there wasn’t one character who fell through the cracks. Each one was extremely well-developed, interesting, and had a fleshed-out arc. The narration POVs switched quite a bit, and I loved every single one. I felt so connected to the characters and I can’t wait to see how their arcs continue.
Kind of along the same line, something I really appreciated about Ruined Reign was how well done the female characters are written. Every single one of them had this beautiful balance of femininity and strength that is often hard for me to find in other YA fantasy novels. The softer female characters did not let their meekness stop them from standing up for what was right and the warrior women of the story did not solely focus on how good of a fighter they were, but that they were fighting to protect others. This was so refreshing to read and has definitely set a standard of how I want to see girls and women represented in the fantasy genre.
Lastly, I loved the theme of fighting for what is right that Ruined Reign just seems to embody. Fiction is the training ground for how we react when we face hard things in our own lives, and that is why it is so important that we read fiction that encourages us to make the right choice, even when it’s hard. Well, Ruined Reign is one of these books. I felt so encouraged by the end of this story and it’s one that I will definitely turn back to in the future.
If you love books that are clean, dark, fantastical, have remarkable characters, and promote strong values, you NEED to read this series. I cannot wait to see how the story continues!
April 18, 2025
I was so excited to jump back into Erinya and its’ world of characters! I did a quick refresh of Broken Crown and was so excited when I got to reading Ruined Reign and it had the same amazing dialogue and action packed plot! I love how unique each character is and how the POVs eased seamlessly into each other as the story moved forward. I recently read the Harry Potter series and Sabrina’s writing reminds me of that found family feel and exciting quests and discoveries that happen along the way. There is true danger and evil lurking throughout this book and so many twists and surprises! You find yourself rooting for the princess and the villain at the same time!! The end of the book leaves so many questions I’m dying to have answered and the third book can’t come soon enough! If you love nursery rhymes, romance, fantasy, adventure, and immersive writing this series is for you! I often found myself pulled out of reality during reading this book-which is the whole point, right?!!
April 10, 2025
It’s an epic fantasy with battles and cliffhangers and multiple stories all weaved seamlessly into one. The breathtaking tension and twists left me wholly engrossed in the story from beginning to heartbreaking end. I absolutely adore (and hate- but in a good way) these characters and their POVs with a burning passion. Each one is carefully crafted with their own goals and passions and relationships, and each manage to move the story forward. The multiple POVs don’t drag the story or overload the book, it enhances it with new and fresh perspectives each chapter. It allows you to see the bigger picture of this complex and dark and beautiful world that Sabrina Lozier had masterfully crafted. I am anxiously awaiting the next book!
March 10, 2025
Broken Crown's second book, Ruined Reign, is a dark retelling of the old nursery rhymes you once knew. This story grabs your attention and does not let go. Ruined Reign had me hanging on to every word, wondering what was going to happen next, and never failed to shock me with the twisty plot twists! I thoroughly enjoyed this read and I can't wait for the next one!
April 12, 2025
Absolutely worth a read! The sequel to Broken Crown does a great job of expanding on the plot and character developments. I can’t wait for book 3!
May 2, 2025
Ruined Reign follows through on all the promises made in Broken Crown. As the characters are on the run from Mallum and his monsters they are forced to step into their places as heirs to the Saints, or in Jill's case, as the self proclaimed heir to the throne. But everyone isn't so willing to fulfill the legacy left to them. All through out the book I got the feeling that all of this has happened before, from history repeating itself, to the characters' inner demons and secrets coming back to haunt them. I felt connected to each POV character even though the book has a very large cast. Their struggles and failures felt genuine and they each brought a new perspective to the events of the story. These are not the nursery rhymes you remember.
May 14, 2025
This book takes what was so good about the first and just improves upon it. A unqiue cast of characters pulling on each others storylines and tugging one another forward through the plot, set against the snowy backdrop of an oncoming winter and threats from every direction, makes for a novel that's hard to put down. Seriously. I can't wait for book three 💕
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews