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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I got the first book during the one of the Stuff Your Kindle Days and I felt like something was missing during the first book. This book kind of made sense but it just felt like a filler book for the final one in the series.
There are several points of view in the book. The first is Evelyn and she has been blackmailed into leaving her home and finds herself trapped in Royal Bay and betrothed to a prince. However, things aren’t as they seem, and to uncover secrets and keep her friends safe, Evelyn must play the part King Dominic demands of her. The second point of view is Nora, and she has been freed from the magical bonds that tied her to a tyrant king and now she is forced to reconcile with her past actions. But can she ever learn to trust someone again? The last point of view is August, and his emotions and magic run unchecked which makes him a threat to all those around him. He is deep in the Periculum Mountains and hoping to find help, unearth secrets and discover more than he bargained for. As all three battle their own demons, a greater evil grows with each sacrifice to the Makers. The rebels will rise. The king will demand reverence. Valmenessia will be changed forever.
I liked the characters and how much they all develop within this book. They all had their own voices and their own reasons for doing what they did and how they did. I liked Nora and August’s relationship, and I missed them being together during this book. The only relationship we got to see develop was Sage and Nora’s because they were the only ones together. I enjoyed the additional POV from August and I would have loved for an additional POV from Kylan especially with the tension growing between Evelyn and Kylan. I am wanting to trust Kylan, but I don’t trust anyone in the castle so far. I felt like King Dominic was finally the scary and villainous bad guy that we didn’t get in the last book.
I felt like the ending was a bit rushed with a lot of information. I felt like it was a massive filler book there wasn’t many massive plot points besides the war brewing, sides being picked and people getting killed. I was waiting for some big revelation like August reuniting with the King or Evelyn escaping or the King getting killed.
I am excited to see how this series finished and sort of hoping everyone gets a happy ending including Evelyn and August reunite and August and Nora reunite and none of the big three characters or their love interests get killed during the war.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, War
Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Sexual content, Kidnapping
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved Liars and Light, the three main characters were so incredibly endearing in such different ways and the banter between them kept me giggling through the tension of their journey. It was the perfect book to start a series therefore I knew that book 2, Rise and Reverence, would kick off a more complicated storyline for my new friends.
Rise and Reverence was everything I craved in the second book in Valmenessia but not in the way I imagined…
In Book 1, I adored the banter between Nora and August, life-long friends who were more like brother and sister. I loved the cheeky, almost aggressive banter between Nora and Sage. The sweet, instant connection between August and Evelyn and the way their conversations took us to a really vulnerable exploration of each character. Early on in Rise and Reverence my character friends were separated and all these beautiful conversations and shared experiences were gone!
My initial sadness on losing my character group was immediately replaced with pure joy as each of these three characters took a deep dive into self discovery. It was so wonderful to watch them find themselves, to connect with others, to be vulnerable and rise from it.
The storyline flowed on beautifully from Liars and Light while also full of plot twists, some I hoped were coming, some I was so blissfully unaware were coming and others which left me gasping. I am absolutely not going to elaborate and spoil anything… but as someone who despises a predictable storyline and enjoys a nice balance of tricky and traumatic character experiences with happy outcomes, Rise and Reverence gave me what I needed.
Perhaps my favourite element of this amazing book was Nora’s character arc where her personal growth was divinely written, Nora remained brash, almost aggressive, passionate and committed but we see her embrace these qualities from a different angle and watch her realise the gift of love, friendship and serving the greater good. Everyone needs a Nora in their life!
I was so gratefully gifted this book as an ARC from the author who required nothing in return, but she does have my wrath at that cliffhanger… it was intense and I need book 3 NOW!!!
Rise and Reverence was everything I craved in the second book in Valmenessia but not in the way I imagined…
In Book 1, I adored the banter between Nora and August, life-long friends who were more like brother and sister. I loved the cheeky, almost aggressive banter between Nora and Sage. The sweet, instant connection between August and Evelyn and the way their conversations took us to a really vulnerable exploration of each character. Early on in Rise and Reverence my character friends were separated and all these beautiful conversations and shared experiences were gone!
My initial sadness on losing my character group was immediately replaced with pure joy as each of these three characters took a deep dive into self discovery. It was so wonderful to watch them find themselves, to connect with others, to be vulnerable and rise from it.
The storyline flowed on beautifully from Liars and Light while also full of plot twists, some I hoped were coming, some I was so blissfully unaware were coming and others which left me gasping. I am absolutely not going to elaborate and spoil anything… but as someone who despises a predictable storyline and enjoys a nice balance of tricky and traumatic character experiences with happy outcomes, Rise and Reverence gave me what I needed.
Perhaps my favourite element of this amazing book was Nora’s character arc where her personal growth was divinely written, Nora remained brash, almost aggressive, passionate and committed but we see her embrace these qualities from a different angle and watch her realise the gift of love, friendship and serving the greater good. Everyone needs a Nora in their life!
I was so gratefully gifted this book as an ARC from the author who required nothing in return, but she does have my wrath at that cliffhanger… it was intense and I need book 3 NOW!!!
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
<i>"It made Nora see the world wasn't black and white. It wasn't grey either. As cheesy as it sounded, the world was a rainbow of infinite colours and she found she liked it that way. Even though she may have only seen the world in one or two colours for a long time, she now knew each colour was just as important and worth fighting for."</i>
I can honestly say that I loved everything about this book! It was just as amazing as the first one, dare I say even better! In the second installment of the Valmenessian Chronicles are iconic trio are separated across different cities, all facing their own types of monsters. Yet they are all preparing to fight one monster, however another one is rising in the shadows...
<i><b>Short Review</b></i>
I think Rebecca Camm is such an underrated author who writes some of the most in-depth characters with such satisfying development arcs! This book was even better than the first and I have no negatives to share! Everything about this book was amazing! With a fast-paced, intriguing and unpredictable plot, one of my favourite magic systems, endless banter and three amazing main characters with their own individual and exciting journeys I could not recommend this series more!
<i><b>Longer Review</b></i>
When I say I loved everything about this book, I mean everything! The plot was fast paced and action packed! I was never bored and constantly kept guessing as to what would happen next. Those plot twists at the end had me swiping as fast as I could until I realized the book had ended!! I don't know if I can wait for the next book! One thing I did predict was a deathpoor Florence, I am not looking forward to Will's reaction! yet it still hit me right in the heart!
The world-building and magic system is still one of my favourites! I love all the different races and it was great to see more of the Mors Alv and the kingdoms around Valmenssia.
But one of the things that I think Rebecca Camm excelled at writing was the characters! I mean the characters!! I must admit I was so sad at the end of the first book to see the three main characters separated especially Nora and August because I just loved their friendship and dynamic so much! While I did miss their endless banter I was more than fulfilled by each of their POVs and the new characters introduced throughout their journeys. I am usually always bored by at least one POV in multi-pov books but I loved reading about each characters stories! But Nora is still my favourite character because of her firey, fierce sarcastic and aggressive attitude. It was so great to see her character development as she was slowly able to forgive herself and get involved in a new cause!
<i>Thank you so much to the author for this Arc!!</i>
I can honestly say that I loved everything about this book! It was just as amazing as the first one, dare I say even better! In the second installment of the Valmenessian Chronicles are iconic trio are separated across different cities, all facing their own types of monsters. Yet they are all preparing to fight one monster, however another one is rising in the shadows...
<i><b>Short Review</b></i>
I think Rebecca Camm is such an underrated author who writes some of the most in-depth characters with such satisfying development arcs! This book was even better than the first and I have no negatives to share! Everything about this book was amazing! With a fast-paced, intriguing and unpredictable plot, one of my favourite magic systems, endless banter and three amazing main characters with their own individual and exciting journeys I could not recommend this series more!
<i><b>Longer Review</b></i>
When I say I loved everything about this book, I mean everything! The plot was fast paced and action packed! I was never bored and constantly kept guessing as to what would happen next. Those plot twists at the end had me swiping as fast as I could until I realized the book had ended!! I don't know if I can wait for the next book! One thing I did predict was a death
The world-building and magic system is still one of my favourites! I love all the different races and it was great to see more of the Mors Alv and the kingdoms around Valmenssia.
But one of the things that I think Rebecca Camm excelled at writing was the characters! I mean the characters!! I must admit I was so sad at the end of the first book to see the three main characters separated especially Nora and August because I just loved their friendship and dynamic so much! While I did miss their endless banter I was more than fulfilled by each of their POVs and the new characters introduced throughout their journeys. I am usually always bored by at least one POV in multi-pov books but I loved reading about each characters stories! But Nora is still my favourite character because of her firey, fierce sarcastic and aggressive attitude. It was so great to see her character development as she was slowly able to forgive herself and get involved in a new cause!
<i>Thank you so much to the author for this Arc!!</i>