I enjoyed Rise, but not as much as I liked Rift. It ws a decent continuation of the story but oftentimes felt there was a little too much running around that wasted time. There was little to no battle in this one, as it was really more about growing relationships and setting the scene for Andrea Cremer's original quartet. Still, the duo was enjoyable.

One thing I particularly appreciated: there was more than one occasion where the opportunity for sex came up and characters rightfully took a look at their environment and said "I'd love this, but it's not the time". I know that may be frustrating for some readers who enjoy supernatural romance, but it addressed such a huge pet peeve of mine and earned Andrea Cremer some serious points.

While I liked the duology a lot, I don't know if I want to go on and read the following quartet. I'm not crazy about werewolf books (and the method of their creation as explained in Rise is really unimpressive). I'm also worried that they will have a lot of romance, which really isn't my thing. The end of Rise gave us an opening for a really interesting plot (gathering the Scions) but I'm on the fence as to whether or not that would be enough to counter-balance what I assume the rest will be. If you've read the Nightshade books - what did you think? ( )

Ember and her friends leave England, go across the channel, almost get killed by a Kraken and chased by supernatural wolves, while trying to work out a way of dealing with the implosion of the order.

This is very much a joining the stories from the first book and a modern werewolf novel. Will be interesting to see how this is reflected in the next stories in the series. To be honest I didn't care much for many of the characters and there were occasions where I coudn't understand the motivation of many of the characters except for being evil for evil's sake. The mechanics of how they were seduced into this wasn't very apparent to me.

It wasn't bad but it's not making me rush out to read more. ( )

Getting into the nitty gritty of the Nightshade lore in RISE. Love this series. ( )

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: An emotional and riveting conclusion to a wonderfully built series.

Opening Sentence: Alistair could remember screaming only once before, at least since he’d become a man.

The Review:

Andrea Cremer knows how to create a world filled with amazement and wonder. One of the reasons why I love her work is mostly due to the lore and culture of her worlds. They are so detailed and realistic, enough so that I always find myself getting lost in them. A favorite series of mine is the Nightshade Prequel. Rise is the second and final book in the prequel series, and it is fantastic.

In an emotional journey, Rise begins shortly after the end of Rift. Ember and Barrow have left Tearmunn after the death of Sorcha. Eira has solidified her alliance with Bosque Mar and have taken actions to rising in power. Alistair is a lover scorn over Ember’s abandonment and is torn between protecting her and accepting his place in Eira and Bosque Mar’s big plan. Nether world evils follow Ember to the ends of the world, thwarting her escape. It results in more problems than one can handle, and she must find a way to save everyone she loves. But will it mean sacrificing Ember or just her dreams?

Ember has grown so much in Rise. She is not the young woman whose father paid to enter Tearmunn. She is no longer the young and wild girl who was headstrong without faults. Now, Ember has responsibilities and desires, loyalty and courage. Ember has faced danger and saved loved ones, many times, and she knows what pain is, emotionally and physically. I enjoyed Ember very much, and I appreciated where Cremer has taken her as a character. I like how she has realistic human feelings, despite the time period that she lives in. They were real and easy to relate to, and I found myself cheering for her the entire way.

Rise brings back many characters, ones that we love and others that we love to hate. There is Barrow, the dark and broody knight that has been quickly won over by Ember. He shows a different side of himself in Rise, and I didn’t think I could love him any more than I already do. Alistair also shows a different side of himself, and he becomes more involved in the storyline which makes it easy to start piecing together this world and that of the Nightshade series. There are also many other characters that evolve to the situations at hand, and it’s amazing how much they have changed to the twists. Each one individually different and interesting to read.

Rise is an amazing follow up to Rift. The characters have a way about them, taking a life of their own through the words on the page. It’s bittersweet to know that this is the end of the prequel series, having only two books to know about, but Cremer also finished the story with providing answers and links to the present day counterparts. Like I’ve said before, Cremer knows how to write a scene and her world-building skills are superb. It’s easy to get lost within the walls of Tearmunn or even outside of them, for I feel like I can take a breathe of air in what feels like a realistic world.

Cremer knows how to take risks in a calculated way. She manages to write stories that are compelling to the reader’s senses and emotions, enough so that she’ll have you wanting more. Cremer talks about different layers of love as well as lust. She also weaves in messages of loyalty, beliefs, and the faith you need because you want to be a part of something big.

Rise is a great way to start the new year. I highly urge you all to read Rise, and if you haven’t read the series, to also pick up Rift and the Nightshade trilogy.

Notable Scene:

“As Ember spoke, her cheeks became wet with tears. “I am so sorry that you lost Toshach. But I cannot regret what he did, for I could not bear to lose you.”

Barrow drew a ragged breath, lowering his eyes, and few tear-drops escaped onto his cheeks.

“I love you,” Ember whispered. No words she’d spoken had ever felt so important or so frightening. “I have loved no one by you.”

Barrow looked at Ember, and she saw that his deep blue eyes were the color of the sea upon which they now sailed.

“Kiss me, Ember.”

FTC Advisory: Philomel/Penguin provided me with a copy of Rise. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ( )

Most of you know by know how much I love Andrea Cremer. All of her book have been off the charts AMAZING!

What I loved most about this book is the great plot. Once again, the reader is thrown for a ride of a life time with plenty of plot twist to knock you off your seat. Ember is thrown into some hard decisions in which she must play roles in order to accomplish her mission. I like that Ember is really good at this. She is very flexible in changing who and what needs to be done. She is not afraid to take the lead in needed be.

The love interest gets very interesting. The thing with Ember is, even though she can play parts well, her emotions can get the best of her. In the love interest, she doesn't quite watch her feelings. They do get the best of her and well....lets just say this go crazy!!!

Rise is an great fantasy delivering great action with every page. It goes beyond what you think it will be surprising you with every plot twist and turn. An entertaining sensation that will sweep you off your feet, Rise is compelling! ( )