Rhiannon ThomasCritiques

I thought this book was such a soild read. I loved this book was at the heart a mystery. I loved the main character was very science minded and also dealing with alot of anxiety and depression. This book was also set in a fantsay world but not heavy. I also thought this main character suddenly becoming ruler and all the complications that come with that. It also dealt with a lot of political drama and also a fun cast of side characters that really captured me. It was a great fast pace read. I thought this book was really unique and it was such a engaging read!! Def would rec!!

I thought this book was such a soild read. I loved this book was at the heart a mystery. I loved the main character was very science minded and also dealing with alot of anxiety and depression. This book was also set in a fantsay world but not heavy. I also thought this main character suddenly becoming ruler and all the complications that come with that. It also dealt with a lot of political drama and also a fun cast of side characters that really captured me. It was a great fast pace read. I thought this book was really unique and it was such a engaging read!! Def would rec!!

Link to video review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar0YQRCldik

Link to video review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar0YQRCldik

I appreciate many things about this story -- especially that our poor Aurora learns some strenth of will and finally acts. That Sleeping Beauty is well reimagined, especially the somewhat horrible consquences of time. Ultimately, though, it didn't really sweep me away, or pull me into the story. It's a good read, but not a great one.

Advanced Reader's Copy provided by Edelweiss.

2.5 stars

It’s King Jorgen’s birthday celebration and all the members of the court are enjoying the party. Freya is a deceased noblewoman’s daughter and very prone to anxiety when encountering crowds. When she starts getting a panic attack during the party, she and her best friend Naomi decide to take a ride back home to the safety of the lab. Unfortunately, the cake is poisoned and most of the court is dead, instantly elevating Freya from 23rd in line to the Queen. Now, she has to survive, find the actual murderers and win the acceptance of the people while trying to convince her detractors that she wasn’t the culprit in the first place. For this task, she gets help from her new heir Madeleine and the dead king’s illegitimate son Fitzroy. How she navigates all these tricky situations and comes out alive is the rest of the story.

I had hopes from this book because it had a lot going for it – the circumstances of her succession being quite similar to the premise of the show Designated Survivor was how I got interested; this was a stand-alone fantasy novel which is so hard to find; and I just wanted to read a new author (for me). Though this book had lot of potential, the plot was actually quite simple. There was no thrilling suspense regarding the search for the mass murderer and when the true culprit was found, it just seemed too simplistic. There was some conflict but it never seemed like there was any danger. Despite these problems, I really liked reading the book. Freya was such an introvert in the beginning, only finding solace in her science; but she has tremendous growth in the story and due to her genuine compassion, shows that she can be a good ruler, albeit a scientific one. There is very little romance and I kind of like that – fantasy novels becoming more romantic and less fantastic is quite disappointing to me and I was happy that this book didn’t go that way. But the best part of the book was definitely its female friendships; especially Freya and Naomi and sometimes also Madeleine. Reading about the dynamic between the two best friends made me nostalgic and miss my best friend who I haven’t seen in years. I really think more books need to have healthy female friendships where the girls bond over things other than boys. I just wished this book had a little more complicated plot; nevertheless, I finished it in one sitting and had a good time reading it. This might be a good recommendation for readers new to the fantasy genre.

I loved this! I've always loved the idea of retold fairytales, but this is the first one that really delivers. I feel that the story isn't done, but I guess this is supposed to be a series. It wasn't totally perfect, but I think it's because this is the writer's first novel. What I really wanted was some depth on the social unrest and a bit more character development at parts. Also the king is a bit too black a villain for my taste. I like when things are not black and white and when the villains are conflicting characters.

But I loved that Aurora was not just someone who knew instantly what to do. For most part of the book she's just utterly confused and doesn't know what she's doing. Which rings really true to me for someone in her situation. I also love that the "evil queen" is not really an evil queen. A mature woman who actually understands Aurora's position. And even though there are 3 possible love interests, this is not made as a conflict and main part of the book. I'm curious to see what happens.

This was a quick read and I just couldn't put it down and I will definitely look forward to the next installment of the series.

An interesting take on the Sleeping Beauty story. What did happen after she woke up? I can definitely see parts of this happening. She probably would be a basket case as she deals with all of the changes and faces the grief of losing everything she had ever known. I can see how she would be more of a follower as she had always been kept in her tower to keep her safe, so it did make sense that she would just go with whatever she was told, even if she didn't like it. Then when she does finally get fed up and try to make her own decisions, it would be hard for her to make good choices as she has never had to trust her own instincts about people before.

It will be interesting where the next installment takes this story. It is leaving the fairytale behind, and becoming more of a revolutionary tale. I wasn't completely happy with the way this one ended, but it was still a decent read, esecially for those who like retold tales.

I really enjoyed this mystery book, though I had waaaaaay too much internal conflict for the main character. A good mystery and a ton of fore shadowing that keeps you guessing of the villain to the bitter end- typical YA with a female main character that has a love interest that may or may not be the killer.

3-3.5 Stars

Long May She Reign is an enjoyable standalone fantasy with minor romance, a murder mystery and a gorgeous cover!

Freya - twenty third in line for the throne - was never meant to be queen. She's never quite fit in with the royals in court and would much rather experiment in her laboratory than attend any court functions. When the King hosts a fancy banquet for his birthday Freya and her friend slip away to her lab with every intention of returning before the party's end. Time manages to get away from them and the next thing they know Freya's father comes barging in with guards looking for her with some very unfortunate news - Freya is now queen.

What I liked:
Aside from Fitzroy? SCIENCE.
There isn't much romance which is usually one of the main plot points in fantasy novels. While I'm all for a good romance, the lack of it in this case was refreshing.
I loved that Freya has social anxiety and for the most part I like how it was portrayed. When she becomes Queen, it doesn't just disappear. She still struggles with it but eventually - and with the help of her best friend Naomi - she is able to overcome it, bit by bit.
Despite not knowing who she can trust and with advisors who steamroll over any idea she may have, Freya loves her people and despises the way the royals treat them. She strives to becomes the type of Queen her people need.

What I didn't:
Lack of world-building.
Not much action until the end.
The big reveal - it felt anticlimactic and I wasn't a fan of how it came to be.
Was expecting something darker considering...mass murder.
While Freya's refusal to listen to anyone is both a pro and a con, it was quite frustrating at times.

*ARC provided by Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

I still really like the premise of this, but a hundred-odd pages in, there's not a lot of the political foes or fiery danger promised. There has been a lot of hanging out with boys. I can see the edges of the pointy stuff, but I just want more.

(But I'm very willing to give the author another shot, cos this looks pretty spiffy.)

Received via HarperTeen and Edelweiss in exchange for an completely unbiased review.
Also posted on Silk & Serif

Long May She Reign is about a girl with crippling social anxiety who becomes queen. In an effort to handle the social pressures and constant presence of being queen, this girl obsesses over the question why. Why is she the one in line to have survived the massacre? Why would anyone massacre the king? And why doesn't anyone want to figure out who actually poisoned everyone?

Freya doubts those around her, herself and the core morality of the court over which she is now reigning monarch. She struggles to change the injustice of her world, to overcome her preconceptions of the courtiers, and over come her anxiety spells. Pretty heavy stuff, all in all.

Going into Long May She Reign I was cautious. I wasn't sure what to expect: a girl who is 23rd in line for the throne ends up Queen? Mass murder? I was honestly expecting magic and all the jazz that come with modern fantasy, but was delighted to end up with an non-magic fantasy novel with plenty of court politics and sketchy advisors. Long May She Reign is a plain fantasy novel with a who-dun-it twist which is obviously written for a younger generation. I am a bit biased in my desire for less magic and more gritty "by hand" work when it comes to fantasy - so this portion of this novel was a definite win for me.

I feel like this novel is really going to be one of those titles that people either love or feel supremely "meh" about. I mean, Thomas has incorporated all the makings of a great novel: a believable main character, a stalwart best friend, an unlikely romance, some seriously scary circumstances and court politics..but in the end not a whole lot happened in this novel. Freya isn't present for the mass poisoning of the entire court, the mystery takes forever to solve with far too many unrelated events interspersed and Freya herself is far too much of an introvert to be an enthralling major player.

Unfortunately, Freya is the type of person who spends a lot of time self-doubting and struggling confidence issues that sound more like an abused teenager than a spoiled court inhabitant. Her inner dialogue often detracted from the story for me and her social anxiety meant she wasn't present or focused enough for huge scenes to be really portrayed in the best light/detail. However, I feel it's important I point out I do not suffer from social anxiety or generalized anxiety so I cannot really understand what Freya's experiences were like for her.

I felt like Long May She Reign is a YA novel written for older teens coming of age and dealing with issues of self identity and changing roles in life's own version of the court. Personally, this novel would have resonated strongly with me around that age. In addition, I feel like this novel is going to be huge hit with the young adult fantasy community because it meets all the expectations for a hard core, but contemporary-feeling fantasy novel. If you like this book, that's wonderful, but for myself personally (and this is an entirely personal feeling), Long May She Reign was not memorable and probably won't make any lists for the year. Sorry.

Long May She Reign is a fun fantasy novel, void of magic, with an alluring murder mystery at it's core. A dash of scientific curiosity and a clever best friend..and an adorably feisty feline..make up a cast of interesting core characters who suss out the bad guy and save the day.

Finally, I feel like its important to point out Long May She Reign is a fantasy novel with a not-so-hidden-meaning. The entire novel is about over coming social anxiety and learning to control it. Freya begins the novel with the inability to even sit at a banquet with all of court, but ends the novel able to lead an army to victory in a very theatrical way - a huge leap forward for a girl with crippling social anxiety. In the end, I think the best part of this novel (other than the cat!) was the slow evolution of Freya: terrified girl to strong leader. In a way, this is a wonderful story about facing your fears - even if the action sequences are a little far and few between.

This novel will appeal to readers who enjoy fantasy without magic, political intrigue, and who-dun-it mysteries. This is a novel that is most definitely written for teens and hard core fantasy readers who want a light, but interesting read or for readers who want a novel that focuses on overcoming social anxiety in the face of extreme circumstances.

Aurora has escaped but she has this scary magical power that she can't control and that makes her a target for those who would exploit her. The story is pretty far removed from the Sleeping Beauty fairytale now, but it has a lot of action and Aurora is slowly figuring out who she is and what she can be. And she is learning who she can love in this new world full of strangers.

Ms. Thomas takes the well-loved fairy tale and asks 'What if Aurora wakes to a whole new world - everyone she knew and loved is gone and she wakes to a kingdom of strangers in the middle of a power play for the right to rule?' It is an interesting premise that leads the reader right into action and heartache and Aurora copes with grieving her lost life and trying to make sense of what she should be doing in this new world she has been thrust into.

technical flaws abound - likable characters though - although not quite as bad as many, the characters are way too democratic in their thinking to have grown up in a medieval society - wanting to do better I can see, but the ideas are significantly too progressive.

Do you want to read another royalty fantasy novel? If it’s Long May She Reign then you do!

A gawky young girl who is distantly connected to the throne and who loves her laboratory and experiments suddenly finds herself as the next in line for the crown. With an overly ambitious father, a handsome and antagonistic illegitimate prince, and another girl vying to be queen, this is a fast-paced murder mystery that had me hooked from the very start.

The strengths of this book were the ongoing mystery of whodunit along with the incredibly strong character development. Freya is not your typical crown princess in any sense but she is incredibly real and endearing to the reader. Written in the style of classic fairy tales with a magical twist, this is a book that won’t disappoint.

Freya is twenty-third in line for the throne and would much rather be experimenting in her lab than celebrating the king's birthday in the extravagant court. In fact, when she gets an idea for an experiment she and her best friend Naomi skip out early to try it out - and that's why Freya's still alive when most of the court is poisoned. Now queen, she has to learn the court rules that she once scorned, all the while figuring out who should be a trustworthy ally and who the murderer.

I thought this book had a lot of potential but never quite delivered. I liked Freya's being a fish out of water and trying hard to do the right thing, her friendship with Naomi, and her dealing with anxiety attacks. But a lot more could have been done. The kingdom is barely sketched out and I was left with a vague idea of the extravagant court and then some sort of poorer town. "The Forgotten" are referenced as sort-of gods who became disenchanted and left the kingdom to its own devices when it became too corrupt, but little else is said about history or legend or religion in this town... or kingdom. And exactly how big is this kingdom? Where is the map? I did like how some of the characters turned out to be different from what Freya expected, and having such a scientifically-oriented fantasy heroine was interesting. Also, the book is a standalone and doesn't leave you with a cliffhanger.

2.5/5
I enjoyed the concept. I thought Aurora's reaction to the situation made sense and was an interesting take on the retelling. But she didn't do anything for 90% of the novel: things just happened around her. So that made for a rather dull read. I also see what people mean about the dialogue; it's very stiff since it doesn't use contractions at all and it is rather basic in it's approach.

I liked this SO much. Great MC, one of my favorites. Incredible mystery, tough choices.

Highly recommend.

(Originally reviewed at thelibraryladies.com.)

Everything about this book description sounded like something that would be right up my alley. And other than a bit of confusion about the genre (fantasy?), I was not disappointed!

Freya is 20-something in line to the throne, but after a mass poisoning, somehow queenship still manages to fall on her shoulders. Now, not only does she, a natural introvert who only wants to work on her science experiments, have to figure out how to rule a country, but she needs to unravel the mystery behind the poisoning before she’s next. No killer would set out to put her on the throne, after all!

This was such a simple story, and I loved it for this very reason! Within the framework of a political drama, Freya herself is allowed to shine as the unique heroine she is. Often we’re presented with this archetypal character arc: shy wallflower through plot devices learns she’s super special and beautiful and ends the book as the bad-ass she was truly meant to be, thus shedding all of her original shyness. I’ve never liked or bought this story arc for a character. As an introvert myself, that’s just not how it works, and I’m kind of offended whenever having a quieter disposition is presented as something that must be “overcome” to become the bad-ass warrior in the end. And it has been well-documented on this blog that I love me some bad-ass women characters! But that doesn’t mean that every character should become this!

Freya’s journey is not to become a better person by the end, but to truly appreciate that the changes she brings to the country as a different ruler with different strengths, manners, and priorities is ultimately just what it might need. Mental health is a subject that is brought up a few times in this book, both for Freya who suffers from anxiety attacks and for another noble lady whom Freya quickly befriends who suffers from some form of depression. While neither of these subjects were tackled in any depth, neither character was demonized for the way that they chose to deal with their own mental health and the fact that they each needed to make its management a priority in their own way. For Freya, this meant the comfort of straightforward and logical scientific research.

Given this connection to Freya’s anxiety, I appreciated that her research wasn’t simply set up in the beginning as “oh, here’s a special thing about her to make her stand apart from all the other fantasy YA heroines but doesn’t actually play any part in the story” but as an aspect of Freya’s character that is continually reinforced throughout the story. Not only does she use her knowledge and abilities to solve the mystery, but we see how she will continue to make room for this important aspect of herself as a ruler going forward. Science is her retreat and her method for calming her mind, and I loved that this was so fully embraced. Further, the characters who are important to her embrace this as well. Not only appreciating that Freya is always going to make scientific research a priority in her life and one that they will have to live aside, but actually joining her and learning from her.

These side characters were also key to my enjoyment of the novel. The cast is a manageable size, both small enough that I felt like I was able to get to know many of them well, but also large enough to hold up the mystery itself with several viable suspects. Many of them were also delightfully written in shades of grey. There are few obviously “good” characters, like Freya’s best friend from the beginning (Yay for female friendships! There were several in this book, and I loved that ultimately these relationships were given more attention than the romantic story line, which is fairly minimal, all told) and, obviously, her cat whom she adores (she risks her life to save the cat at one point which I completely understand!) But several characters on her much-reduced council are presented with their own compelling reasons for either wanting to support her rule or work quietly against it. Freya’s own father is set up as a bit of a grey character. He clearly loves his daughter, but his ambition is what lead to his rise in court from a lowly merchant, and Freya questions where this ambition could ultimately lead. With all of this, I was truly surprised by who the culprit ultimately turned out to be.

I typically try to avoid reading many other reviews for books before I write my own, but with this one I did want to see what other reviewers were doing when slotting this book in a genre. It is presented as a fantasy novel, but for the life of me I can’t really understand why. Sure, it’s set in an imaginary kingdom…but that’s it. There is no magic that is referenced, no creatures that don’t exist in our world, nothing really. And I feel like this was a bit of a failing in its marketing. This book is more a political/historical YA novel, and by setting it up as a YA fantasy (a genre that is booming beyond belief right now), I feel like a lot of readers came out of it disappointed. As I love these genres as well, I wasn’t perturbed by it. But both the description and cover make it seem like this is somehow a fantasy novel, and for readers who are mostly there for the magic and romance that is usually found in YA fantasy…you’re kind of setting the book up to fail by not targeting the correct audience. Sure, publishers want the extra bang for their buck that comes from jumping on a popular genre bandwagon, but is it worth the backlash when readers discover the truth? I never like this type of marketing tomfoolery, as I feel like this is a strong novel for what it is and that’s now being undercut due to these silly tactics.

But if you are a reader who enjoys YA political/historical novels that focus in on science rather than magic, definitely check this one out!

After 100 years of slumber, a prince’s kiss brings Aurora back to life...a world she no longer recognizes. Is this the happily ever after everyone was promised?

Literary Merit: Good
Characterization: Good
Recommend: Recommended
Level: High School

Freya lives in the kingdom of Epria where she is a noble and is in line to the throne albeit way way way down the line. Much to her father's dismay, she has no interest in court life or her nobility. Freya would rather spend her time working on her science experiments in her laboratory because she hopes that one day those experiments will give her the ability to leave Epria and travel to the colonies to become a scientist. All of her dreams come crashing down when someone poisons the entire court and over 400 nobles die. All of the nobility in the line of succession are eliminated up to Freya, which thrusts her into becoming queen. Now, the new, inexperienced queen must fight for her own life and the lives of the remaining nobles, while trying to win them over and learn how to be a sovereign. She's doing all of this while trying to uncover who the assassin is.

This book is great for any teens who love fantasy fiction. It contains a unique story line and well developed characters that makes the reader get invested in the outcome. Figuring out who the culprit is is fun and intriguing. There are several twists and turns that Freya must navigate during her reign, which makes this an interesting read. It is highly recommended for teens who appreciate stand alone novels rather than series. It seems like every YA fantasy title is a series lately so having this wrap up in one book is refreshing.

I've never read a YA story before and thought to sample one with this story and author I've never read as well.

What I found in it was intriguing, at times entertaining and part of the time slow moving, but all in all, not bad.

I enjoyed the young heroine's character a lot and most of the characters in the tale, but I also liked the prose as well as the mythical Kingdom, but if you're looking for complex within the pages of this book, you'll not find it. But then again, sometimes less complexity within the pages is good. Once in a while, lighthearted stories can give you just as much satisfaction as the complex, heavy stories.

In the end, I do recommended for its mystery and many interesting and entertaining characters.

Melanie for b2b

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher

LONG MAY SHE REIGN is a standalone, but I would happily read more in this world.

Freya never expected to be queen and she never wanted to be queen, but after the banquet that she snuck out of early turns deadly that is exactly what she finds herself being. I found that I liked Freya from the very beginning. She has dreams and does everything possible to pursue them, but she also takes on her position head on and tries really hard to be the best queen possible even though those around her try everything to make her fail—or just try to use her to their advantage.

LONG MAY SHE REIGN was full of mystery and it was really well done in my opinion. Although the ending was a bit anti-climatic, I still really enjoyed the way that everything leading up to the reveal played out. There is a bit of a romance, but it isn't a main part of the storyline. I really enjoyed the friendship between Freya and Naomi. She both really shine when they are in each others presence and the way she treats Naomi throughout the story makes it clear that just because she's now queen, she will never think herself higher than those that deserve her friendship.

As I stated when I started this review, LONG MAY SHE REIGN is a standalone and I would love to read more, but it was still completely satisfied with the story when it ended.

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.