Plot: 5/5
Reign & Ruin follows the story of two people searching for the way to save their people. Naime is the daughter of a sultan, who wishes to succeed her father to the throne so she can do what is necessary to save her country. Makram is the second son and prince of a rival nation, who sees the need for peace among the two countries even against his own brother’s wishes.

The story is a beautiful mix of external and internal events. We explore the characters as they have to overcome their own personal misgivings to grow into the person they need themselves to be, and we see the political battles between the antagonists and protagonists that were expertly crafted.

Characters: 5/5
Characters are a huge strength to this book. The insights we have into the main characters show us the emotions they are dealing with and how they evolve through them and grow. The antagonists are infuriating, which is a great sign in how well written they are. Most importantly, the relationships between characters, especially with the main romance story, are phenomenally well written. I have not read much romance specifically, but I feel confident in still saying that J.D. Evans was masterful with the romance, which sucked me into it and invested me in it every step of the way.

Worldbuilding: 5/5
I loved the middle eastern inspired setting, and it is easy to tell the care that went into bringing in the inspirations and building off of them. The magic appears elemental based at first (and it is), but the expansion off of that leads into wonderfully interesting ways that it ends up being used beyond just elemental. The type of magic affects the users demeanor and emotions, and the types of spells that can be cast can be more inspired by the element than a direct use of it, such as being able to speak long distances. I am excited to explore this world more and see what else the magic can do.

Writing: 5/5
J.D. Evans is a fantastic writer, with clear and elegant prose. The pacing for the book was perfectly done and helped to keep me engaged throughout. The voices for the two POVs were well done and distinct, helping to create more strongly written characters in general. She also delves into some difficult topics such as dementia, and handles them with care beautifully.

Enjoyability: 5/5
It’s obvious why this book was able to win SPFBO 7; it was masterfully written with incredible characters and a beautifully imagined world. I was hooked from the beginning and became invested in the characters almost upon meeting them. And, because there’s nowhere else to put this, the inside artwork for the book is delightful; I loved the page banners.

OVERALL: 5/5 Broken Wheels