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Reluctant Queen
Reluctant Queen | Sarah Beth Durst
29 posts | 31 read | 57 to read
Filled with political intrigue, violent magic, and malevolent spirits, the mesmerizing second book in Sarah Beth Durst's Queens of Renthia epic fantasy trilogy.Everything has a spirit: the willow tree with leaves that kiss the pond, the stream that feeds the river, the wind that exhales fresh snow . . . And those spirits want to kill you.It's the first lesson that every Renthian learns.Not long ago, Daleina used her strength and skill to survive those spirits and assume the royal throne. Since then, the new queen has kept the peace and protected the humans of her land. But now for all her power, she is hiding a terrible secret: she is dying. And if she leaves the world before a new heir is ready, the spirits that inhabit her beloved realm will run wild, destroying her cities and slaughtering her people. Naelin is one such person, and she couldn't be further removed from the Queen--and she wouldn't have it any other way. Her world is her two children, her husband, and the remote village tucked deep in the forest that is her home, and that's all she needs. But when Ven, the Queens champion, passes through the village, Naelin's ambitious husband proudly tells him of his wife's ability to control spirits--magic that Naelin fervently denies. She knows that if the truth of her abilities is known, it will bring only death and separation from those she loves. But Ven has a single task: to find the best possible candidate to protect the people of Aratay. He did it once when he discovered Daleina, and he's certain he's done it again. Yet for all his appeals to duty, Naelin is a mother, and she knows her duty is to her children first and foremost. Only as the Queen's power begins to wane and the spirits become emboldened--even as ominous rumors trickle down from the north--does she realize that the best way to keep her son and daughter safe is to risk everything. Sarah Beth Durst established a place of dark wonder in The Queen of Blood, and now the stakes are even higher as the threat to the Queen and her people grows both from within and beyond the borders of Aratay in this riveting second novel of the Queens of Renthia series.
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Bookgoil
Reluctant Queen | Sarah Beth Durst
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Pickpick

Zeus was helping me finish my book the other day. He‘s a distracting reading buddy with that cute look of his and trying to lick my book. It was amazing, I love this series it just really reads wonderfully and pulls me right in. I cannot wait to read the final volume! #dogsoflitsy

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SassenachTheBookWizard
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Time to reread book 2!

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Shaylaina
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Pickpick

There are 3 books. The other one is, Queen of Sorrow.
The Queen must keep control of all the Spirits, otherwise they would kill all the humans. The Spirits are needed as they make everything grow.

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Schnoebs
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Pickpick

4.25⭐️

The one thing I can truly say about this series is that Sarah Beth Durst sure knows how to create a very vivid world. I can easily see every type of spirit she depicts and the formations of the all the tree buildings.

Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2709335792

#queensofrenthia #epicfantasy #queendom #fantasy #massmarket #mpls #twincities

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Schnoebs
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Have about an hour before my flight to Denver. Been super bush with work and apply to jobs since graduating that I haven‘t had time to really posy on here lately. Hopefully with my trip to Denver for the next 5 days (thanks mom and dad for the graduation present), I‘ll be able to get a lot of reading done and destress!

#airport #msp #mpls #twincities #airtravel #reading #beer #vacation

Crazeedi Best of luck on you job hunt, I'm sure you will find the perfect one for you! 5y
38 likes1 comment
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Schnoebs
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Taking advantage of the down time at work to get a little further in this 👍

#queensofrenthia #epicfantasy #fantasy #masspaperback #mpls #twincities

IamIamIam I spy a cool bookmark! 👀 @BarbaraTheBibliophage 5y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @IamIamIam Oooh! A sighting in the wild! I still have more, if anyone subscribes to my email updates. 😎😘 5y
38 likes2 comments
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brilliantglow
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My owlcrate for May just got delivered😃 so excited #owlcrate

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brilliantglow
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I'm not saying he's right, but I definitely get where he's coming from.

Cinfhen Hahahahaha ( sorry, your comment is pretty funny) but I never condone violence 😉 6y
Geeklet People have been stabbed for far less. I get it. The guy had something coming his way. I would have probably have just done something far more petty but that‘s just me. My best suggestion for the guy who got stabbed is to try to not be the most annoying man on a continent next time. (edited) 6y
Soubhiville What @Geeklet said! 6y
58 likes3 comments
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Schnoebs
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Well I‘m officially trash for this series. I really tried to get book one out of my head but guess what.... it didn‘t happen. I bought the rest of the trilogy and now plan on binging it for the rest of the month 🤷‍♀️

#sorrynotsorry #renthia #queensofrenthia #trash #trilogy #epicfantasy #mpls #twincities

lahousewyfe I have never heard someone say they were "trash" for loving a series, but damn! I love it! I'm definitely saying this from now on! 6y
48 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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orange.books
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Pickpick

Wow I'm really enjoying this fantasy series! I was so concerned with how everything was playing out. I felt so intensely for all of their characters and their individual plotlines, I am very excited to read the third and final book.

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eclecticreading
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Pickpick

This week on my blog (eclectictales.insanitysandwich.com/blog) I reviewed the first two books of the Queens of Renthia trilogy. The worldbuilding is fascinating and I found book two much stronger than the first one. Definitely looking forward to reading the final book in the trilogy! #bookbloggers

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jfalkens
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Bailedbailed

The book is too gruesome for me to continue. I was hoping it'd get better in this book but it didn't

DivineDiana I understand. 🙁 6y
jfalkens @DivineDiana did you read it? 6y
DivineDiana No, just can‘t really do gruesome. 😬 So, I thank you for letting us know! 6y
jfalkens @DivineDiana ahhh it does stink that it was gruesome, the fantasy world was spectacular and the characters that survived(for now) where interesting. 6y
70 likes4 comments
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jfalkens
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Up next is book 2

TobeyTheScavengerMonk This series has awesome covers. 6y
79 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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TheQuietQuill
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My Labor Day consists of a great fantasy novel, a blanket, and a wicked thunderstorm happening outside. Just what I need for a perfect day of rest 🐉⛈

68 likes2 stack adds
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MicrobeMom
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Pickpick

With 🦇 saga yesterday I did not get a chance to post this! But I finished tagged book and the baby burrito yesterday while audio knitting. I did enjoy the second installment of this series. I was worried about the lack of carry over of many of the characters from the first book but I enjoyed the meeting Naelin and her family. The ending was convenient but it is a fun read with strong female characters. If you are a fan of fantasy, try it!

Bklover So glad your bat saga is over!! Have a great day! 7y
Vertabrain I just taught myself how to crochet so I‘d have something to audio to ;) 7y
33 likes2 comments
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MicrobeMom
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Feeling a little out of sorts today. 🙃So a lot of audio happening. #audiowalk #audioknitting

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MicrobeMom
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Started book 2 of this series today in my #audiowalk. The weather@is surprising cool and very windy after 85 and sunny yesterday. Still a great walk!

30 likes1 stack add
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JPeterson
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This is exactly what I look for in YA fantasy. Strong characters with flaws to humanize, magic that is both awesome & terrifying, and can have grave consequences, and multiple threads of mystery & problems that all need to be solved.

I loved the first book, and am glad to see the second hold up.

#ERMadLibs #Adjective

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Josie
Pickpick

Book 2 in the Queens of Renthia trilogy. Once again, Durst has salvaged YA and made it immensely enjoyable. No cheese, no unbelievable and irritating romance. A FULLY GROWN WOMAN WITH CHILDREN AS THE MAIN CHARACTER. If you like dark fantasy, I don‘t know why you‘re still reading my review and not picking up this series. Go away.

Leniverse What makes this YA? It seems to have none of the defining traits! 7y
Josie @Leniverse couldn‘t tell ya. I didn‘t decide it‘s genre. 7y
57 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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kdwinchester
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Pickpick

I have to give a shoutout to Durst and her fantastic female protagonists. In THE RELUCTANT QUEEN, the protagonist is a single mom just trying to take care of her kids. But then she discovers the kingdom needs her, and her amazing magical abilities. So off she goes, her children in tow. Many books act like a woman‘s life ends at motherhood. But Durst tackles that fallacy head on, giving us a protagonist who is a full-time mom.

85 likes15 stack adds
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melrailey
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Decided to go straight on to book two today. Hope it helps me feel better. I do do not want to work today.

Redwritinghood I was so-so on the first book, so I‘m interested in how you find this one. 7y
melrailey @Redwritinghood I‘m a little surprised. It‘s starting off with finding a replacement for Daleina as she‘s dying mere months after taking the crown. (That‘s on the book cover.) I listened to all but the last three chapters of book 1 on audio. I felt like the three chapters I read were missing something. So I think this is an audio series. 7y
AmandaL @melrailey @Redwritinghood It took a while, but the first book grew on me the more I read it. I'm interested in seeing what you think of the second book too. I'm still on the fence about reading it. 7y
71 likes3 comments
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love2dazzle
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Happy Monday! Vacation is over and today I am back at work.
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There is so much work to be done and I feel like I am so behind. Hopefully I can get most things caught up today.
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My favorite thing about Mondays is that I have a job to go to to preoccupy my mind.
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QOTD: What is your favorite things about Monday? (Or your Monday)
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#booknerdigans #bibliophile #booklover #bookworm #bookaddict #bookdragon #bookobsessed #bookaholic #pnwreaders

2 likes1 stack add
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gossamerchild
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I got this book and the first one, both signed, at the library conference I went to in June. The first book (tagged below) I'm reading right now, and I've been surprised by how much I enjoy it. Her writing style is pleasing, and she's introduced some twists on fantasy tropes that have surprised me. Granted, I haven't read an immense amount of epic/adventure fantasy, but this is...new.

#signedsunday #autumnreads @JoeStalksBeck @Tiffy_Reads

50 likes1 comment
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annalibris
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed the first one, and think this one may have been even better. I love the fact that the heroines aren't the best, or the smartest, but they still have to step up and do what they have to do, even when they don't want to. I also enjoyed that one of the protagonists in this book is an "older" woman with children, not a teenager.

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SassenachTheBookWizard
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Pickpick

OMG! What an amazing improvement from the first book! This was basically my perfect balance in fantasy books! Political heavy realm with science and magic working together and some romance running in the background not yet intertwining with the politics! Such a good ending though I feel the two Queens brought (what I anticipate will happen next) on themselves by being too passive and nice...and what a betrayal?! Oh lordie!

literaery-me Wow, the covers are so pretty! 7y
85 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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SassenachTheBookWizard
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The first book in this series was interesting and I'm really curious to see these characters and this world evolved. The first book suffered a little from time jumps which I kind of hate since it makes it difficult to grow and develop with the characters. None the less, I am very interested to see where this battle of royalty/magic goes with the main character at the helm.

ANDDDDDD the cover is really pretty (Sue me!)

coffeenebula This cover = 😍😍😍 7y
annalibris Ooo, this is out already? (runs off to search catalog and put it on hold) 7y
92 likes10 stack adds2 comments
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BethFishReads
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Politics, violence, magic. Terry Brooks called the first book in this series "an allegory for our own earthly struggle between Man and Nature." This second installment doesn't come out till July, so you have time read book 1. Mr BFR is doing well, but I'm not getting much reading time. Soooo another round of what's on my reading stack.

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KarenaFagan
Pickpick

Definitely be on the look out for this title in 2017. Read the first in the series The Queen of Blood while you wait! Great worldbuilding with interesting characters.