By Sierrah M. Strange
Summary
After losing her mother, Atarah tries to find a way to protect her and her siblings from the wrath of her abusive stepfather. She finds a way to escape when a man from another realm called “The Below” shows up claiming to be her father. Atarah learns that she is Fae and there are many secrets her mom kept from her. Now she must come to terms with who she is, learn how to control her powers and save her new home before a plague consumes everything she holds dear.
My Review
I grabbed this book after I saw a post on Instagram where Sierrah was promoting her story. It sounded like it was right up my alley and I love discovering new Indie authors. I loved the premise of the story with a faerie realm, and I am a sucker for a book with a beautiful map. I love the simplicity of the language in her world because you don’t spend a ton of time trying to get the lingo down. The Below is a fascinating world to dive into and has a ton of potential as a series.
I really enjoyed the relationships between the characters, especially Norin and Atarah. There is a “friends to lovers” trope here that is fun to follow. Their banter is fresh and interesting. Sierrah does a stellar job of creating sexual tension and writing satisfying spicy scenes. They don’t come on too quickly to be believable and it is interesting to watch her relationships unfold.
There is a whole host of side characters in this story. Some are unique and interesting, such as the gargoyles. But at times it feels like there are too many new characters being thrown at you at one time. Also, I am not a huge fan of love triangles and there were a couple of characters that were introduced with a “love triangle” vibe. We will see in book 2 how all that plays out. This is her debut novel and, at times, it shows. Parts of the story are harder to enjoy because you get a bit lost in exposition. The world has a lot of depth, and it occasionally gets thrown at us in chunks that feel more like reading a history book than a fantasy novel.
On the other hand, one of my favorite parts of this book was how she illustrates the ways that Atarah discovers her powers. For instance, she talks about how magic “hums” and leaves a taste in her mouth like the powdered sugar on French toast. It was so intuitive and easy to find yourself immersed in the experience. I also really loved the way she described how it felt to dismantle a glamour so she could see the truth beneath.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Fae and fantasy novels, especially fans of Holly Black and Sarah J. Maas as I can see some resemblances in this story. The series has such wonderful potential, and I cannot wait to see where the story goes in book 2.
Pros: You are thrust right into action, the story is very fast paced and full of conflict, great host of characters and relationships.
Cons: The story gets lost in exposition at times and there are some moments where the dialogue is a bit clunky.
I give The Reign Below 3.5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐✰
-Jacqui
The Reign below is book 1 in the “Belowen” series. Book 2 is set to release January of 2023. Tune in on Instagram @books_and_magick to see my exclusive interview with the author.
Spice Level 3/5
Romance 3/5
Characters 3/5
Plot & Themes 4/5
Author: Sierrah M. Strange
Genre: Adult Fantasy
Tropes: Friends to lovers, nightmare, possible love triangle?
Trigger Warnings: Violence, abuse, sex, language
Age Recommendation: 18+
Length/Page Count: 382 pages
Format & Source: Kindle Unlimited, e-book
Publishing Info: Sierrah M. Strange, 2022
Books and Magick 