Title: Rise
Author: Ellen Goodlett
Publisher Info / Release: Little Brown Books for Young Readers| June 11, 2019
Source: ARC
Rating: 4.5/ 5 *’s
Synopsis:
Sisters Akeylah, Ren, and Zofi are all a step closer to their dying father’s throne, a step closer to the crown that will allow one of them to rule over Kolonya. But the sisters’ pasts continue to haunt them. Each hides a secret marked with blood and betrayal, and now their blackmailer is holding nothing back. When King Andros discovers the sisters’ traitorous pasts, the consequences will shake the entire kingdom to its core.
As Kolonya’s greatest threat stalks closer and closer, weaving a web of fear and deceit around Ren, Zofi, and Akeylah, even the people they love are under suspicion. If the sisters are going to survive, they’ll have to learn to trust each other above all else and work together, not only to save themselves, but to protect everyone and everything they hold dear.
With shocking reveals and suspenseful storytelling, this breathtaking sequel to Rule will keep you guessing until the very last page.
No one is who they seem in the second book of this duology. The stakes are higher, eyes are shifting and fingers are being pointed in everyone’s direction. Truly – no one is safe.
I really enjoyed the fact that this didn’t go further than a duology because it wrapped up beautifully. There were so many plot twists that I was 95% sure I didn’t know who was truly bad or which princess would end up on the throne.
The blackmailer is finally revealed and so many things happen when their mask is taken off. It’s difficult to go into any details without giving anything away. I really didn’t have any idea that this person was responsible for the things that happened, but once I actually thought back to it and the clues leading up to the reveal, it all started to click into place.
Along with the mysterious blackmailing plot, there’s small bouts of romance that I really loved. They provided a bit of relief from the otherwise stressful guessing of what’s going on / what will happen.
I enjoyed the ending though one part that I was cheering for didn’t happen. In my opinion, one character (out of the many so it would be difficult to guess) deserved more than what was given – someone who was immensely helpful from the beginning and was left with my heart breaking.
In the end, this series was enjoyable and is in it’s own way unique for the YA world. It’s written well and it’s a quick read, with a mind gripping plot and even more multi-layered characters. Make sure to check it out!
To Purchase:
–Amazon
–Amazon
a bookish peach 