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Descent of Shadows #1
Descent of Shadows
At the heart of her family’s war against the wraith king, Anna makes the only decision she can—to fight back.
Humans have always called the land of Istamba home, yet Roland, King of the Wraiths, is intent on claiming it for himself. When Fort Lieay is attacked, thirteen-year-old Anna Lieay is the only survivor. Distraught from the death of her parents, she makes the dangerous journey to the Sanctuary, the last free human settlement. There, she vows to join the army, despite her age, to help save her home from the wraiths and restore peace to humanity.
Middle grade fantasy for ages 9-12.
Humans have always called the land of Istamba home, yet Roland, King of the Wraiths, is intent on claiming it for himself. When Fort Lieay is attacked, thirteen-year-old Anna Lieay is the only survivor. Distraught from the death of her parents, she makes the dangerous journey to the Sanctuary, the last free human settlement. There, she vows to join the army, despite her age, to help save her home from the wraiths and restore peace to humanity.
Middle grade fantasy for ages 9-12.
281 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 11, 2018
12 people are currently reading
61 people want to read
About the author
Ryanne Glenn
5 books7 followersRyanne Glenn is a member of the Northern Colorado Writers in Fort Collins, CO, where she attends Colorado State University. She is pursuing a degree in Chemical and Biological Engineering with a minor in Biomedical Engineering. She loves to golf, though after playing for twelve years, her handicap should be much lower than it is. Between writing and classes, she often visits her hometown of Fruita, Colorado, to spend time with her family and two dogs, Coco and Pebbles.
Ryanne started writing short stories when she was ten and was first published in Fruita’s local newspaper. She took her first creative writing class in high school, and was inspired to expand her writing into poetry and longer stories. After struggling with depression in her first year at college, she turned back to writing as a healthy outlet for her emotions. She wants to write strong female role models and is excited to share her stories with the world.
Ryanne started writing short stories when she was ten and was first published in Fruita’s local newspaper. She took her first creative writing class in high school, and was inspired to expand her writing into poetry and longer stories. After struggling with depression in her first year at college, she turned back to writing as a healthy outlet for her emotions. She wants to write strong female role models and is excited to share her stories with the world.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
November 23, 2018
Descent of Shadows is a fantasy that reads like a middle grade and the first page opens with Anna, our young main character, climbing a tower to eavesdrop on her father speaking to the Captain of the Guard who are talking about soldiers going missing and Roland, a notorious king who controls the wraiths, shadowy creatures with glowing red eyes that brutally ravage villages.
We are then immediately thrown into another scene with a PUNCH! It’s literally Game of Thrones Red Wedding up in here. A slaughter. Yes it’s in the synopsis. No I will not tell you anything farther because I don’t think it should be in the synopsis. Books you should go into knowing nothing: Descent of Shadows
Anna herself was a cute feisty gumdrop. She doesn’t care to wear the dresses her mother wants her to look presentable in. YO GIRL JUST WANTS TO WEAR HER LEGGINGS AND THIS IS LITERALLY ME! She wants to be out in the forest and climbing trees and listen to the wild life. Well, her wish is granted in a disastrous fashion and is now having to survive on her own (until she meets a boy.. hmm) and travels to a location called Sanctuary where she meets new people and gets a thirst for her enemies.
It becomes very clear here how serious this war has become.
This is a story where I found myself excited to pick up my kindle and dive back in again. There were so many cool magical elements incorporated like Anna’s necklace which glowed and pointed her to safe houses sprinkled throughout the country, the wraiths golden weapons that enhanced their power, the magical barriers surrounding villages and kingdoms.
Some cons I have: I didn’t like how nonchalant most of the characters acted in this dire situation they were in. Anna loses everything she has ever known and there seems to be no effect on her mentally. She meets King Roland and his army face to face and yet, she cracks jokes and doesn’t seem to be scared. I didn’t believe any of it.
Another was the first half of the book was very repetitive. The characters have solider training, then breakfast, solider training, then lunch, solider training, then dinner and it repeats over and over again. It made it very monotonous and side characters don’t have very definitive personalities.
All in all, this is a fast read, an author to look out for, and a story with a character to root for.
We are then immediately thrown into another scene with a PUNCH! It’s literally Game of Thrones Red Wedding up in here. A slaughter. Yes it’s in the synopsis. No I will not tell you anything farther because I don’t think it should be in the synopsis. Books you should go into knowing nothing: Descent of Shadows
Anna herself was a cute feisty gumdrop. She doesn’t care to wear the dresses her mother wants her to look presentable in. YO GIRL JUST WANTS TO WEAR HER LEGGINGS AND THIS IS LITERALLY ME! She wants to be out in the forest and climbing trees and listen to the wild life. Well, her wish is granted in a disastrous fashion and is now having to survive on her own (until she meets a boy.. hmm) and travels to a location called Sanctuary where she meets new people and gets a thirst for her enemies.
It becomes very clear here how serious this war has become.
This is a story where I found myself excited to pick up my kindle and dive back in again. There were so many cool magical elements incorporated like Anna’s necklace which glowed and pointed her to safe houses sprinkled throughout the country, the wraiths golden weapons that enhanced their power, the magical barriers surrounding villages and kingdoms.
Some cons I have: I didn’t like how nonchalant most of the characters acted in this dire situation they were in. Anna loses everything she has ever known and there seems to be no effect on her mentally. She meets King Roland and his army face to face and yet, she cracks jokes and doesn’t seem to be scared. I didn’t believe any of it.
Another was the first half of the book was very repetitive. The characters have solider training, then breakfast, solider training, then lunch, solider training, then dinner and it repeats over and over again. It made it very monotonous and side characters don’t have very definitive personalities.
All in all, this is a fast read, an author to look out for, and a story with a character to root for.
December 12, 2018
Descent of Shadows, Ryanne Glenn's debut middle-grade fantasy novel, is a bit of a mixed bag in terms of success in satisfying the reader. There is very little descriptive prose which meant it was nigh on impossible to imagine the setting and the characters, and there were times that new individuals were introduced without so much of a word as to who they were or why they were relevant to the story.
I liked protagonist Anna as she was a strong and feisty female role model, and it's clear the author intended her to be inspirational, however, this was not as successful as the author likely hoped. Anna had much adversity to overcome, but this was not reflected in the way she acted and so was rather lacking in believability. I would've appreciated it more had she struggled to come to terms with the events in her life and then slowly evolved and grew over time. I feel it's important to portray the genuine struggle we all go through and not to make it seem as though it's normal to "just get on with it" without it affecting our thoughts and behaviours.
There was a lot of action, perhaps too much, and the events that happened occurred serendipitously and therefore lacked realism. Things wrap a little too conveniently for my liking. When you enter a world that works differently to our own the author really must explain the way it works, but there was no such explanation here leading to confusion and frustration. I hope the next instalment is better as the story certainly has potential. A fun, fast read that may appeal more to middle-graders than older readers such as myself.
Many thanks to Atthis Arts for an ARC.
I liked protagonist Anna as she was a strong and feisty female role model, and it's clear the author intended her to be inspirational, however, this was not as successful as the author likely hoped. Anna had much adversity to overcome, but this was not reflected in the way she acted and so was rather lacking in believability. I would've appreciated it more had she struggled to come to terms with the events in her life and then slowly evolved and grew over time. I feel it's important to portray the genuine struggle we all go through and not to make it seem as though it's normal to "just get on with it" without it affecting our thoughts and behaviours.
There was a lot of action, perhaps too much, and the events that happened occurred serendipitously and therefore lacked realism. Things wrap a little too conveniently for my liking. When you enter a world that works differently to our own the author really must explain the way it works, but there was no such explanation here leading to confusion and frustration. I hope the next instalment is better as the story certainly has potential. A fun, fast read that may appeal more to middle-graders than older readers such as myself.
Many thanks to Atthis Arts for an ARC.
January 19, 2019
I read Descent of Shadows with my son. He's in middle school. He really enjoyed this story and wished it were longer. He also said that all the kids in his class would like it too. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
November 24, 2018
I would like to thank the publisher for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.
The cover of this book really drew me in along with the title as fantasy books are my favourite genre, I was really excited to get stuck in to this book the moment I found out that I could read this but unfortunately I was really disappointed with it for a number of reasons that I have to give this a low rating. Mostly I think it is because this is more aimed at middle grade readers and I felt I was reading dialogue for the most of the book with hardly any description whatsoever. Nothing was really explained well enough, I felt as a reader I was just thrusted in to this world with no knowledge other than the basics.
The main problem I had was with the structure of this book and the fact that a lot of it was simply paragraphs with nothing but dialogue and usually not much description after except for half a sentence. I needed to know more about what was happening in the moment, what is going on in the world as they are speaking with each other? The best thing about dialogue is knowing what the other person is feeling when the words are spoken to them, how it makes them react and look to the main character. Dialogue can make or break a book, and unfortunately it made this book very hard to picture in my mind due to the lack of description. For example the majority of the book was like this :-
"Why did you do that? Now I have to wait for the sun to charge it before we can find a safe house again!" Anna Shouted.
"Hey I'm sorry I didn't know" he said, holding up his hands.
(Not word for word, just a simple example from the beginning of the book.) When really it should be more like this :-
"Why did you do that?!" Anna shouted, her voice filled with panic at the sudden situation that Alex had now put them in by losing their ability to find somewhere safe for the night..
"Now I have to wait for the sun to charge it before we can find a safe haven again." She continued, not caring how harsh she sounded.
Alex raised his hands in a defensive stance, obviously unaware of the ability that the bracelet held. He looked genuinely taken aback and Anna could see that, but it still didn't make the situation any better.
This at least gives the reader a picture in their mind of what is currently occurring between the two characters rather than just going off of short sentences of thinks like she shouted, she did this, she did that, he did this, he did that and so on.
Another thing that I didn't like was that both Anna and Alex had gone through a lot of things at the start of the book and despite their young age it didn't seem to bother them in the slightest. There was no distress at the fact Anna had lost her parents, it was mostly just holding a grudge more than being devastated. I know if I was thirteen years old I would be a complete nervous wreck and be hiding scared in the woods rather than the way Anna dealt with it. There were just so many things about this that I just didn't like i'm afraid to say. It was a quick read because of the dialogue which was the only good thing about it because I just wanted to get to the end of the story.
I just felt that this book was seriously lacking a lot of things, the story in its entirety has potential but as it is it is definitely not something i would recommend to anyone in my age range, perhaps younger teens would like this book but as a 26 year old who loves her Young Adult fantasy this is not one for those used to Brandon Sanderson and Sarah J Maas.
The cover of this book really drew me in along with the title as fantasy books are my favourite genre, I was really excited to get stuck in to this book the moment I found out that I could read this but unfortunately I was really disappointed with it for a number of reasons that I have to give this a low rating. Mostly I think it is because this is more aimed at middle grade readers and I felt I was reading dialogue for the most of the book with hardly any description whatsoever. Nothing was really explained well enough, I felt as a reader I was just thrusted in to this world with no knowledge other than the basics.
The main problem I had was with the structure of this book and the fact that a lot of it was simply paragraphs with nothing but dialogue and usually not much description after except for half a sentence. I needed to know more about what was happening in the moment, what is going on in the world as they are speaking with each other? The best thing about dialogue is knowing what the other person is feeling when the words are spoken to them, how it makes them react and look to the main character. Dialogue can make or break a book, and unfortunately it made this book very hard to picture in my mind due to the lack of description. For example the majority of the book was like this :-
"Why did you do that? Now I have to wait for the sun to charge it before we can find a safe house again!" Anna Shouted.
"Hey I'm sorry I didn't know" he said, holding up his hands.
(Not word for word, just a simple example from the beginning of the book.) When really it should be more like this :-
"Why did you do that?!" Anna shouted, her voice filled with panic at the sudden situation that Alex had now put them in by losing their ability to find somewhere safe for the night..
"Now I have to wait for the sun to charge it before we can find a safe haven again." She continued, not caring how harsh she sounded.
Alex raised his hands in a defensive stance, obviously unaware of the ability that the bracelet held. He looked genuinely taken aback and Anna could see that, but it still didn't make the situation any better.
This at least gives the reader a picture in their mind of what is currently occurring between the two characters rather than just going off of short sentences of thinks like she shouted, she did this, she did that, he did this, he did that and so on.
Another thing that I didn't like was that both Anna and Alex had gone through a lot of things at the start of the book and despite their young age it didn't seem to bother them in the slightest. There was no distress at the fact Anna had lost her parents, it was mostly just holding a grudge more than being devastated. I know if I was thirteen years old I would be a complete nervous wreck and be hiding scared in the woods rather than the way Anna dealt with it. There were just so many things about this that I just didn't like i'm afraid to say. It was a quick read because of the dialogue which was the only good thing about it because I just wanted to get to the end of the story.
I just felt that this book was seriously lacking a lot of things, the story in its entirety has potential but as it is it is definitely not something i would recommend to anyone in my age range, perhaps younger teens would like this book but as a 26 year old who loves her Young Adult fantasy this is not one for those used to Brandon Sanderson and Sarah J Maas.
December 31, 2019
I may not be the target audience for Descent of Shadows (I'm not much of a fantasy reader), but I must admit I was very impressed with Ryanne Glenn and her masterful world-building skills. After young Anna's parents are murdered by the Wraith King, she sets out to avenge her family, to join the army, and to defeat the Wraiths once and for all. With gripping action sequences and a strong female lead, I can highly recommend Descent of Shadows for young readers of high fantasy.
January 13, 2019
My son ( age 11 ) and I read this book , we both really enjoyed the settings and characters. We are excited to read the second and third books to see how Anna's life changes and the adventures that she will be faced with . I would recommend this both to young and old readers . Thank you Ryanne!
February 11, 2019
Descent of Shadows by Ryanne Glenn is a coming-of-age, YA fantasy about a young teenage girl, Anna, who must leave her childhood behind and accept the overreaching legacy of her parents. The tale begins with a heart-wrenching scene where Anna witnesses the murder of her parents at a festival by human-like shadows, the wraiths. Wounded, she barely escapes with her life and seeks refuge at a sanctuary where an ancient, magical barrier prevents wraiths from entering. On her sojourn there, she meets Alex, another orphan escaping mayhem. Anna deals with her grief with the singular purpose of avenging the deaths of her parents. Despite her youth, she is determined to join the army when she reaches the sanctuary and fight in the war against the wraiths. She catches the eye of General Collins who recognizes her leadership abilities are similar to her legendary parents. He takes her under his wing and mentors her like a father. Anna overcomes the doubts of the regime’s Council that considers her too young to join the army, and she quickly rises through the military ranks. Despite her successes in missions, Anna’s confidence is shaken as she faces the harsh realities of war, the awakening of her latent powers, and the internal strife that is as great as the threat from the wraiths. The climatic ending offers unexpected twists and dramatic changes to Anna, setting the stage for the second book in the trilogy.
Debut author, Ryanne Glenn, has woven deeper themes into a tale which, on the surface, seems straight-forward. The first couple of chapters are rich in sensory details, but then relaxes into a narrative driven by dialogue, magical world-building, and vivid descriptions of training and fighting scenes. However, the harsh realities of war are not glorified and profoundly affect the heroine. Make no mistake, Anna is a strong, female protagonist with whom teenager readers can identify. Beneath her risk-taking bravado, she harbors self-doubt that she must overcome to become an effective leader. Her different approach to leadership and training comes across as rebellious and brash to members on the Council. Her impulses to lash out must be reined-in by General Collins, who nonetheless gives her leeway to lead her regiment consisting of teens about her age. Although this is an action-driven fantasy, there are some subtle pauses when Anna reflects on how she fits into her world and the legacy of her family.
Descent of Shadows should appeal to YA fantasy readers who enjoy reading about strong, female characters and unique world-building. Highly recommended.
Debut author, Ryanne Glenn, has woven deeper themes into a tale which, on the surface, seems straight-forward. The first couple of chapters are rich in sensory details, but then relaxes into a narrative driven by dialogue, magical world-building, and vivid descriptions of training and fighting scenes. However, the harsh realities of war are not glorified and profoundly affect the heroine. Make no mistake, Anna is a strong, female protagonist with whom teenager readers can identify. Beneath her risk-taking bravado, she harbors self-doubt that she must overcome to become an effective leader. Her different approach to leadership and training comes across as rebellious and brash to members on the Council. Her impulses to lash out must be reined-in by General Collins, who nonetheless gives her leeway to lead her regiment consisting of teens about her age. Although this is an action-driven fantasy, there are some subtle pauses when Anna reflects on how she fits into her world and the legacy of her family.
Descent of Shadows should appeal to YA fantasy readers who enjoy reading about strong, female characters and unique world-building. Highly recommended.
November 22, 2018
The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'm going to go ahead and give this a 3.5/5.0 stars. It's not great, but it's still pretty good. There are bits where it's really cliché and some characterisations that just seem unrealistic, but I enjoyed the plot, and while this book finished in a kinda satisfying way, it also sets up nicely for the next instalment.
I decided to just include the notes I took while reading this (BEWARE OF SPOILERS!!!):
- Just finished chapter 1. i’m intrigued, but i feel like parts of it are a bit clumsily written
- …really? both alex and anna have gone through traumatic experiences VERY recently, but they don’t act like it at all. the ease with which they talk to each other is pretty unrealistic
- Characterisation of Anna and the other kids feel a bit off
- uhh… i’m confused… is roland not the main villain? is there someone worse than him? i don’t get it
- Really enjoy the “break” chapters where we get to see things from other viewpoints (Roland and Collins)
- no, i’m sorry, who the fuck is jonathan? you can’t just introduce a new character that the mc apparently knows without giving us any information except his name!
- ….why would Anna take weapons from the armoury when she knows they don’t have that much and she already has two wraith daggers? that’s just not very smart...
- There is A LOT of dialogue, and it doesn’t always feel natural
- Kinda hard to believe that Anna takes to fighting, and then commanding, so naturally, considering her parents apparently thought her too young to train? but also a bit contradicting information on that, so i dunno
- i was pretty much laughing throughout the entirety of chapter 15 - kids outsmarting the “experienced grown-ups” is always funny AF
- Colonel Wells is off suspension after, like, 2 days? Wtf??
- page 117 - total fail in the guarding of barrier - actually leaning a quarter open while doubling another (chapter 16)
- chapter 17 - of course there’s a traitor! I’m thinking Jonathan / Alex / Liam (in that order (and maybe ian but probably not))
- update - page 126 - it’s fucking alex isn’t it? why else would he hesitate?
- Rly? promoted to captain already? i know she’s proved her worth, but shouldn’t it take her longer?
- wait… if even anna didn’t know collins was leaving, who did?
- Already suspected ages ago, but the continued hints of healing and some weird fighting power - anna is totally part wraith, isn’t she?
- oooo, the female wraith was roland’s mate? and he felt her death? nice!
- Honestly… Some of these reactions are just so over-dramatic and unrealistic - also, sometimes they say things out loud that they could have just thought instead, which would be more natural
- Really? Another promotion? Already?? Also, the fact that her second is just automatically promoted without anyone else even talking to him… like no. stop. (this will also be really bad if it turns out alex really is the traitor, which i’m getting more and more certain is the case)
- Oh my god, that cheer is so basic lmaooo
- This Ransley Elwin seems to really hate Lieays. You know who else really hates Lieays? Roland. Maybe they’re the same person?
- fucking called it
- Although… how the fuck did the journals end up back in the sanctuary? Especially the last one where he became a wraith?
- Okay, actually translating stuff will include a lot more stumbling around than that. How does it sound so official and formal when she’s literally translating it on the spot?
- Oh, so ALL the members of Anna’s regiments are descended from the magicians? AS IF! (well, except jonathan, but we all know he’s kinda just an extra)
- we don’t really need Anna’s commands word-for-word every time they go out on a mission or train or whatever else - it’s getting a bit repetitive
- yup, alex is the traitor. no other explanation. who else would have had the time to send word to king roland?
- Wait… nearly two years have passed already? It only feels like maybe 10 months! the time-skips really aren’t very clear, and hints at ageing or general passing of time are very few…
- “couldn’t sleep” my ass - you were just going to betray your friends, that’s all. i fucking hate Alex!
- boiiiiiiii - “care about you”? AS IF! If you did, you wouldn’t be a fucking traitor!!
- yaaaayyy they saved michael! <3
- I mean… with all those hints that may or may not have been a bit too obvious, the “big reveal” of the wraiths’ informant isn’t really that much of a plot twist - we all saw it coming (but the fact that he agrees to kill anna just so he can become a wraith makes me lose any hint of sympathy i might have had for him)
- awww they all trust her with their lives this is adorable! (in a sad, kinda morbid, way)
- “why can’t you just die”? really alex? she’s the protagonist, of course she’s not just gonna die in some easy way (i was kinda expecting her to get captured when she got all tired tho)
- waitwaitwait - he didn’t even wait until they were alone? wow, he’s desperate
- ….well, that was anticlimactic
- oh, she’s a general now? i would hate to be one of the more experienced officers, getting passed up left and right for this teenaged girl
- so… roland is dead… just like that… what is with all this build-up for so short sequences?
- i would say she’s gonna die, but there are enough pages left and the whole healing thing makes me think she’ll survive
- of course she survived…
- would’ve been more interesting and added a kinda symbolic self-sacrificial thing if she had actually died
- i wouldn’t personally have made that time-skip and then collins thinking back - instead it would have worked better with either jonathan’s or collins’ POV immediately as they find anna
- seriously? she’s just gonna run away? after all that whining about how she wasn’t a kid, she sure does act like one
- OF COURSE the wraiths aren’t gone!
I'm going to go ahead and give this a 3.5/5.0 stars. It's not great, but it's still pretty good. There are bits where it's really cliché and some characterisations that just seem unrealistic, but I enjoyed the plot, and while this book finished in a kinda satisfying way, it also sets up nicely for the next instalment.
I decided to just include the notes I took while reading this (BEWARE OF SPOILERS!!!):
- Just finished chapter 1. i’m intrigued, but i feel like parts of it are a bit clumsily written
- …really? both alex and anna have gone through traumatic experiences VERY recently, but they don’t act like it at all. the ease with which they talk to each other is pretty unrealistic
- Characterisation of Anna and the other kids feel a bit off
- uhh… i’m confused… is roland not the main villain? is there someone worse than him? i don’t get it
- Really enjoy the “break” chapters where we get to see things from other viewpoints (Roland and Collins)
- no, i’m sorry, who the fuck is jonathan? you can’t just introduce a new character that the mc apparently knows without giving us any information except his name!
- ….why would Anna take weapons from the armoury when she knows they don’t have that much and she already has two wraith daggers? that’s just not very smart...
- There is A LOT of dialogue, and it doesn’t always feel natural
- Kinda hard to believe that Anna takes to fighting, and then commanding, so naturally, considering her parents apparently thought her too young to train? but also a bit contradicting information on that, so i dunno
- i was pretty much laughing throughout the entirety of chapter 15 - kids outsmarting the “experienced grown-ups” is always funny AF
- Colonel Wells is off suspension after, like, 2 days? Wtf??
- page 117 - total fail in the guarding of barrier - actually leaning a quarter open while doubling another (chapter 16)
- chapter 17 - of course there’s a traitor! I’m thinking Jonathan / Alex / Liam (in that order (and maybe ian but probably not))
- update - page 126 - it’s fucking alex isn’t it? why else would he hesitate?
- Rly? promoted to captain already? i know she’s proved her worth, but shouldn’t it take her longer?
- wait… if even anna didn’t know collins was leaving, who did?
- Already suspected ages ago, but the continued hints of healing and some weird fighting power - anna is totally part wraith, isn’t she?
- oooo, the female wraith was roland’s mate? and he felt her death? nice!
- Honestly… Some of these reactions are just so over-dramatic and unrealistic - also, sometimes they say things out loud that they could have just thought instead, which would be more natural
- Really? Another promotion? Already?? Also, the fact that her second is just automatically promoted without anyone else even talking to him… like no. stop. (this will also be really bad if it turns out alex really is the traitor, which i’m getting more and more certain is the case)
- Oh my god, that cheer is so basic lmaooo
- This Ransley Elwin seems to really hate Lieays. You know who else really hates Lieays? Roland. Maybe they’re the same person?
- fucking called it
- Although… how the fuck did the journals end up back in the sanctuary? Especially the last one where he became a wraith?
- Okay, actually translating stuff will include a lot more stumbling around than that. How does it sound so official and formal when she’s literally translating it on the spot?
- Oh, so ALL the members of Anna’s regiments are descended from the magicians? AS IF! (well, except jonathan, but we all know he’s kinda just an extra)
- we don’t really need Anna’s commands word-for-word every time they go out on a mission or train or whatever else - it’s getting a bit repetitive
- yup, alex is the traitor. no other explanation. who else would have had the time to send word to king roland?
- Wait… nearly two years have passed already? It only feels like maybe 10 months! the time-skips really aren’t very clear, and hints at ageing or general passing of time are very few…
- “couldn’t sleep” my ass - you were just going to betray your friends, that’s all. i fucking hate Alex!
- boiiiiiiii - “care about you”? AS IF! If you did, you wouldn’t be a fucking traitor!!
- yaaaayyy they saved michael! <3
- I mean… with all those hints that may or may not have been a bit too obvious, the “big reveal” of the wraiths’ informant isn’t really that much of a plot twist - we all saw it coming (but the fact that he agrees to kill anna just so he can become a wraith makes me lose any hint of sympathy i might have had for him)
- awww they all trust her with their lives this is adorable! (in a sad, kinda morbid, way)
- “why can’t you just die”? really alex? she’s the protagonist, of course she’s not just gonna die in some easy way (i was kinda expecting her to get captured when she got all tired tho)
- waitwaitwait - he didn’t even wait until they were alone? wow, he’s desperate
- ….well, that was anticlimactic
- oh, she’s a general now? i would hate to be one of the more experienced officers, getting passed up left and right for this teenaged girl
- so… roland is dead… just like that… what is with all this build-up for so short sequences?
- i would say she’s gonna die, but there are enough pages left and the whole healing thing makes me think she’ll survive
- of course she survived…
- would’ve been more interesting and added a kinda symbolic self-sacrificial thing if she had actually died
- i wouldn’t personally have made that time-skip and then collins thinking back - instead it would have worked better with either jonathan’s or collins’ POV immediately as they find anna
- seriously? she’s just gonna run away? after all that whining about how she wasn’t a kid, she sure does act like one
- OF COURSE the wraiths aren’t gone!
January 7, 2019
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of Descent of Shadows by Ryanne Glenn. I voluntarily read and reviewed this copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
*beware of spoilers below*
Descent of Shadows is about a girl named Anna who loses her parents when the wraith king Roland attacks her home. In search for revenge and hope of taking back her home, she joins the army with a few kids her age. They become the youngest regiment in history and turn out to be the key in defeating Roland and his wraith army.
Unfortunately I have some mixed feelings about this book. The premise had great potential but didn't fully reach that potential for me. The world-building and background of the characters was minimal. This is something that I really missed, because that sets the story for me. At times I felt like the storytelling wasn't as smooth as it could be. Some things felt rushed while others felt like they came out of nowhere.
Personally I think that the reveal that all the people in Anna's regiment were descendents of those mighty warriors was a little far fetched. If it was one or maybe two people it would be more believable. And then that was it, it didn't really get adressed again. It didn't really compliment the story in any way.
I did really enjoy the training, fighting and combat parts. Those were written really well and made the story flow nicely. I also enjoyed the reveal that the wraith king Roland used to be a human in the sanctuary and how it was shown how he got to where he is now by his diary being read. The "traitor" was a bit too predictable for me, but was handled in a good way in the end.
The ending wasn't as satisfying as I hoped it would be. After reading Anna's journey, I didn't feel like she would leave like that. But if the ending was purposefully written this way to leave room for any sequels, then I do understand it. All in all, Descent of Shadows is a fun read, but it didn't satify my expectations.
*beware of spoilers below*
Descent of Shadows is about a girl named Anna who loses her parents when the wraith king Roland attacks her home. In search for revenge and hope of taking back her home, she joins the army with a few kids her age. They become the youngest regiment in history and turn out to be the key in defeating Roland and his wraith army.
Unfortunately I have some mixed feelings about this book. The premise had great potential but didn't fully reach that potential for me. The world-building and background of the characters was minimal. This is something that I really missed, because that sets the story for me. At times I felt like the storytelling wasn't as smooth as it could be. Some things felt rushed while others felt like they came out of nowhere.
Personally I think that the reveal that all the people in Anna's regiment were descendents of those mighty warriors was a little far fetched. If it was one or maybe two people it would be more believable. And then that was it, it didn't really get adressed again. It didn't really compliment the story in any way.
I did really enjoy the training, fighting and combat parts. Those were written really well and made the story flow nicely. I also enjoyed the reveal that the wraith king Roland used to be a human in the sanctuary and how it was shown how he got to where he is now by his diary being read. The "traitor" was a bit too predictable for me, but was handled in a good way in the end.
The ending wasn't as satisfying as I hoped it would be. After reading Anna's journey, I didn't feel like she would leave like that. But if the ending was purposefully written this way to leave room for any sequels, then I do understand it. All in all, Descent of Shadows is a fun read, but it didn't satify my expectations.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 5, 2025
Descent of Shadows by Ryanne Glenn
Rating:5/5
Review:
👉Descent of Shadows by Ryanne Glenn is a compelling YA fantasy that immerses readers in a world of danger, magic, and courage. The story follows thirteen-year-old Anna Lieay, whose life is torn apart when her parents are brutally killed by the wraith king’s forces. Alone and devastated, she escapes to the Sanctuary, the last human stronghold protected by an ancient magical barrier.
👉Despite her age, Anna is determined to fight back and reclaim her home. Her journey is one of resilience, growth, and self-discovery, as she learns to navigate grief, responsibility, and the legacy of her family. Along the way, she meets Alex, another orphan shaped by loss, and finds guidance under General Collins, who recognizes Anna’s extraordinary potential and mentors her as she prepares for the battles ahead.
👉Ryanne Glenn masterfully blends action, suspense, and emotional depth. Anna’s rise through the military ranks, her first encounters with her latent powers, and her confrontation with the harsh realities of war make her a remarkable and relatable heroine. The story explores the tension between personal ambition, duty, and the weight of legacy, all while keeping readers immersed in a vividly imagined world.
👉Descent of Shadows is a story of courage, determination, and the strength to face overwhelming odds. It is an unforgettable tale of growth, adventure, and the fight to protect what is most precious, perfect for readers who love coming-of-age stories set against epic battles and magical worlds.
Happy reading 😁
#bookreview
Rating:5/5
Review:
👉Descent of Shadows by Ryanne Glenn is a compelling YA fantasy that immerses readers in a world of danger, magic, and courage. The story follows thirteen-year-old Anna Lieay, whose life is torn apart when her parents are brutally killed by the wraith king’s forces. Alone and devastated, she escapes to the Sanctuary, the last human stronghold protected by an ancient magical barrier.
👉Despite her age, Anna is determined to fight back and reclaim her home. Her journey is one of resilience, growth, and self-discovery, as she learns to navigate grief, responsibility, and the legacy of her family. Along the way, she meets Alex, another orphan shaped by loss, and finds guidance under General Collins, who recognizes Anna’s extraordinary potential and mentors her as she prepares for the battles ahead.
👉Ryanne Glenn masterfully blends action, suspense, and emotional depth. Anna’s rise through the military ranks, her first encounters with her latent powers, and her confrontation with the harsh realities of war make her a remarkable and relatable heroine. The story explores the tension between personal ambition, duty, and the weight of legacy, all while keeping readers immersed in a vividly imagined world.
👉Descent of Shadows is a story of courage, determination, and the strength to face overwhelming odds. It is an unforgettable tale of growth, adventure, and the fight to protect what is most precious, perfect for readers who love coming-of-age stories set against epic battles and magical worlds.
Happy reading 😁
#bookreview
February 5, 2019
*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book!*
I am sorry to say that I didn't really like "Descent of Shadows" by Ryanne Glenn. First of all, it is not written for my age group (but usually that isn't a problem) but for older children or young teens. The protagonist, Anna, is 13 at the beginning of the novel when her parents are brutally murdered, she has to flee and then joins the army.
I like strong female leads but Anna was a flat character. She didn't really mourn her parents, she behaved either extremely childish or extremely mature with nothing in between. Her joining the army and then receiving a command just seems unrealistic and weird. All her friends are also flat characters.
The world-building is interesting but it lacks details, background and 'colour'. It's more 'sketched' than 'drawn' so to speak.
Most of all I was annoyed by how flat and unrealistic characters and plot are respectively.
2 Stars. Maybe young teens like it better, but when I think back to what I liked to read at that age, I'm not too sure.
I am sorry to say that I didn't really like "Descent of Shadows" by Ryanne Glenn. First of all, it is not written for my age group (but usually that isn't a problem) but for older children or young teens. The protagonist, Anna, is 13 at the beginning of the novel when her parents are brutally murdered, she has to flee and then joins the army.
I like strong female leads but Anna was a flat character. She didn't really mourn her parents, she behaved either extremely childish or extremely mature with nothing in between. Her joining the army and then receiving a command just seems unrealistic and weird. All her friends are also flat characters.
The world-building is interesting but it lacks details, background and 'colour'. It's more 'sketched' than 'drawn' so to speak.
Most of all I was annoyed by how flat and unrealistic characters and plot are respectively.
2 Stars. Maybe young teens like it better, but when I think back to what I liked to read at that age, I'm not too sure.
March 12, 2019
This young author shows promise. The story is well written and an interesting opening book of a series. More description of the world and the inhabitants would be welcome and hopefully will be expanded in the stories that follow. I like the plot but without a well defined background it was difficult to truly understand what drove the characters. Some of the devices the author used were also intriguing but I was left wanting something that would shed more insight into the different aspects of the world and where Anna's bloodline played such a prominent role.
The biggest issue for me was the two year gap toward the end of the book between chapters with no corresponding break or acknowledged passage of time in the characters' storylines.
I am looking forward to experiencing Ryanne's growth from her upcoming entries in the trilogy.
The biggest issue for me was the two year gap toward the end of the book between chapters with no corresponding break or acknowledged passage of time in the characters' storylines.
I am looking forward to experiencing Ryanne's growth from her upcoming entries in the trilogy.
January 5, 2023
I actually purchased this book from the author at a booth, from the Author at a comic con. It wasn't exceptional, but is impressive considering it was written by someone working on/finishing a science degree. It spent A LOT of time talking about the character's military training, but I liked learning about the main character in the process. The story seems like it has a lot of potential for back story and some movement forward. So, I will most likely give the second book in the trilogy a chance.
December 24, 2018
ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for a review. All of my opinions are my own, and are in no way affected by the exchange.
This was really rather boring. I found the main character irritating and the writing was very juvenile.
This was really rather boring. I found the main character irritating and the writing was very juvenile.
Read
December 14, 2019DNF. I just couldn't get into it.
June 6, 2019
2.5 stars!
It makes it a little better knowing this is a Middle Grade, and apparently a series.
I had really liked the first few chapters, it brought a lot of anticipation and had started very well!
However...as it carried on it didn't progress as well for me, I stopped caring for the characters and was more annoyed at several of them.
I really liked the fantasy themes of it, with the Wraiths especially. And parts of it did remind me of Ender's Game a bit, a younger generation helping and fighting for the human race. I liked the plot and where it was going.
But overall, the execution of the plot and characters could have been done better and more of chased me away.
Review on blog here: https://bookswithnoel.blogspot.com/20...
It makes it a little better knowing this is a Middle Grade, and apparently a series.
I had really liked the first few chapters, it brought a lot of anticipation and had started very well!
However...as it carried on it didn't progress as well for me, I stopped caring for the characters and was more annoyed at several of them.
I really liked the fantasy themes of it, with the Wraiths especially. And parts of it did remind me of Ender's Game a bit, a younger generation helping and fighting for the human race. I liked the plot and where it was going.
But overall, the execution of the plot and characters could have been done better and more of chased me away.
Review on blog here: https://bookswithnoel.blogspot.com/20...
January 1, 2024
Not for me unfortunately...
I went into this with high hopes, sounded really good from the description but sadly I just didn't don't enjoy it.
I found the pacing wasn't very good and there was too much dialogue and not enough description.
I couldn't connect with the characters and they didn't seem very fleshed out.
I think the plot was promising but felt rushed.
It's a shame as I feel with a little work could have been good.
I went into this with high hopes, sounded really good from the description but sadly I just didn't don't enjoy it.
I found the pacing wasn't very good and there was too much dialogue and not enough description.
I couldn't connect with the characters and they didn't seem very fleshed out.
I think the plot was promising but felt rushed.
It's a shame as I feel with a little work could have been good.
November 27, 2018
*i received a copy of this for review from Netgalley*
This book was okay. I liked the plot but I think the book would have been better served stretched out into maybe 2 or 3 books as she grows up and comes into her own. Because it was rushed everything was super convenient and I found myself rolling my eyes at all the things that went so right to propel the story and make the main character this flawless hero. Just not a fan of the pacing
This book was okay. I liked the plot but I think the book would have been better served stretched out into maybe 2 or 3 books as she grows up and comes into her own. Because it was rushed everything was super convenient and I found myself rolling my eyes at all the things that went so right to propel the story and make the main character this flawless hero. Just not a fan of the pacing
Read
December 2, 2018DNF'd at 40% trouble with connecting to characters and the writing style for me. Could be suited to someone else
December 16, 2018
I didn't care much for this one, I found it repetitive and I just couldn't buy into the story. It seemed the heroine of the story was continually going into battle, winning against great odds over and over and over. The continual repeating of the troop movements I also found less than interesting. Someone who likes military fantasy might like this one, but thats not me. I like more magic and more realistically flawed characters. This girl was 13 for heavens sake and almost immediately became this flawless military genius.
The writing was good with few errors but the story itself, in my opinion just wasn't that inventive and creative. I have to admit I tried but couldn't finish it, you could pretty much tell from the bulk of the story where it was going anyway.
The writing was good with few errors but the story itself, in my opinion just wasn't that inventive and creative. I have to admit I tried but couldn't finish it, you could pretty much tell from the bulk of the story where it was going anyway.
January 7, 2019
This book was rather boring. I didn't care much for it and I found it repetitive and I just couldn't buy into the story. Its an easy one sitting read. only a few errors that I saw. Just very basic middle schooler writing.
Read
February 13, 2019This is a magical mystery book about a girl named Anna who witnesses her parents' brutal murder. It sends her on a mission to avenge their deaths. I gave up about half way through because I didn't think the characters were very interesting and the storyline seemed really similar to a lot of other stories.
April 19, 2019
DNF at 20%
This book is clearly intended for young readers, and as such, it didn't hold my attention. Although I liked the worldbuilding and the creativity, it lacked descriptive prose. Perhaps this would resonate with a younger audience. I felt like I was being rushed through from action scene to action scene with no description and little explanation. I also felt like the emotions and motives of the main characters were hardly explored.
I received this book as an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book is clearly intended for young readers, and as such, it didn't hold my attention. Although I liked the worldbuilding and the creativity, it lacked descriptive prose. Perhaps this would resonate with a younger audience. I felt like I was being rushed through from action scene to action scene with no description and little explanation. I also felt like the emotions and motives of the main characters were hardly explored.
I received this book as an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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