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lookingforamandaa's review against another edition
5.0
How can I put my love for this series into words? I really don’t know. I’m going to read my review for the first book (which I’m pretty happy with so I’m going to link that here) and try to sort out my thoughts from there. Also, I want to mention that I won an eARC of this book through Katy Rose Pool’s newsletter giveaway (via NetGalley) so here is my honest review in exchange.
I mentioned the world in my review of book one so I’m going to start there for this one too. This world is run on the belief in the Prophets. They disappeared long ago but left one last prophecy that predicted the end of the world. But there would be one more Prophet, one who has the potential to save the world from ending. We learn more about the lost Prophets and what happened to them and boy were they twisty. I really loved the way Katy Rose Pool told this story. There were things I expected to happen, but also some stuff that totally surprised me. I just really loved this story. It was written well with fast-paced action scenes and just enough drama, but not constant. There were slower scenes for traveling where I really loved getting to know the characters even better.
Ephyra was hard for me. She was still the morally grey girl I loved from the first book, but without Beru, she seemed a bit lost. I definitely thought her storyline was interesting, especially with what we knew from Beru’s perspective. There were definitely some things she did that were super unexpected. But with the way the book ended, I’m really excited to see where her story ends in the final book.
Beru is one of my favorite characters. She’s such a little bean, but she’s also really not. She’s fierce and determined. She knows what she wants for herself and she’s going to get it, even if it kills her. I loved Beru in the first book because of the strong sister relationship and how she brought the good in Ephyra out. But in this book, we get to see her stand on her own and I really loved that.
Hassan was hard for me. I really loved him in the first book. But in this book, he’s a bit all over the place. He failed in his mission in the first book, and he’s trying to figure out what his next steps are. So, when he finds a rebel group, he thinks they’re perfect to help him take back his city. As per usual, things aren’t always that easy. I didn’t love the way his story played out, but I didn’t totally hate it either. I really hope I like the way his story plays out in the next book.
Anton, my sweet baby Anton. He has grown so much. I’m honestly so proud of him. He starting to really give a shit about the world and might have figured out how to stop its end. I loved every page of Anton’s chapters. I will protect him at all costs. I really loved his character development and the way that he pushes the characters around him to grow as well.
For Jude, all this book was for him was character development. He’s struggling with who he is after certain events in the previous book. His whole identity is based on being the Keeper, but things are different. Nothing is going according to plan, so Jude is basically just trying to make sure Anton stays alive. I loved the relationship between the two. They push one another. Anton gets Jude out of his comfort zone and that’s when we really see him develop and get to know him even better.
Overall, I loved this book. The more of this series I read, the more it’s solidified as a new all-time favorite. I’m blown away by Katy Rose Pool’s ability to have five different points of view and make them each so distinct. They’re all loveable and chaotic in their own ways, but they are so very different from one another. I loved this book and you will too.
Quotes:
“Because as far as I can tell, power is madness.”
“As far as he could tell, home was just whatever hurt most when you left it behind.”
“Kissing him felt like waving a hand through fire, wanting and wanting not to be burned. Like diving off the top of a lighthouse, without hope or sight of safe landing. Like sinking to the bottom of the sea, knowing he would surely drown.”
“They’ve spent their whole lives trying to uphold the rules. The natural law of life and death. But you’re more powerful than they are. And you don’t follow their rules. That’s what separates the powerful from the weak. The powerful get to make the rules, and the weak have to follow them.”
I mentioned the world in my review of book one so I’m going to start there for this one too. This world is run on the belief in the Prophets. They disappeared long ago but left one last prophecy that predicted the end of the world. But there would be one more Prophet, one who has the potential to save the world from ending. We learn more about the lost Prophets and what happened to them and boy were they twisty. I really loved the way Katy Rose Pool told this story. There were things I expected to happen, but also some stuff that totally surprised me. I just really loved this story. It was written well with fast-paced action scenes and just enough drama, but not constant. There were slower scenes for traveling where I really loved getting to know the characters even better.
Ephyra was hard for me. She was still the morally grey girl I loved from the first book, but without Beru, she seemed a bit lost. I definitely thought her storyline was interesting, especially with what we knew from Beru’s perspective. There were definitely some things she did that were super unexpected. But with the way the book ended, I’m really excited to see where her story ends in the final book.
Beru is one of my favorite characters. She’s such a little bean, but she’s also really not. She’s fierce and determined. She knows what she wants for herself and she’s going to get it, even if it kills her. I loved Beru in the first book because of the strong sister relationship and how she brought the good in Ephyra out. But in this book, we get to see her stand on her own and I really loved that.
Hassan was hard for me. I really loved him in the first book. But in this book, he’s a bit all over the place. He failed in his mission in the first book, and he’s trying to figure out what his next steps are. So, when he finds a rebel group, he thinks they’re perfect to help him take back his city. As per usual, things aren’t always that easy. I didn’t love the way his story played out, but I didn’t totally hate it either. I really hope I like the way his story plays out in the next book.
Anton, my sweet baby Anton. He has grown so much. I’m honestly so proud of him. He starting to really give a shit about the world and might have figured out how to stop its end. I loved every page of Anton’s chapters. I will protect him at all costs. I really loved his character development and the way that he pushes the characters around him to grow as well.
For Jude, all this book was for him was character development. He’s struggling with who he is after certain events in the previous book. His whole identity is based on being the Keeper, but things are different. Nothing is going according to plan, so Jude is basically just trying to make sure Anton stays alive. I loved the relationship between the two. They push one another. Anton gets Jude out of his comfort zone and that’s when we really see him develop and get to know him even better.
Overall, I loved this book. The more of this series I read, the more it’s solidified as a new all-time favorite. I’m blown away by Katy Rose Pool’s ability to have five different points of view and make them each so distinct. They’re all loveable and chaotic in their own ways, but they are so very different from one another. I loved this book and you will too.
Quotes:
“Because as far as I can tell, power is madness.”
“As far as he could tell, home was just whatever hurt most when you left it behind.”
“Kissing him felt like waving a hand through fire, wanting and wanting not to be burned. Like diving off the top of a lighthouse, without hope or sight of safe landing. Like sinking to the bottom of the sea, knowing he would surely drown.”
“They’ve spent their whole lives trying to uphold the rules. The natural law of life and death. But you’re more powerful than they are. And you don’t follow their rules. That’s what separates the powerful from the weak. The powerful get to make the rules, and the weak have to follow them.”
nekopersona's review against another edition
DNF I liked the first entry of the series but I hate when a character I really dislike manages to be successful throughout most of the book. Especially if they have a strong presence and that is alongside my favorite character. A good series but a personal quirk made me unable to get through this book
bookedbyfaith's review against another edition
5.0
I think that its a crime that more people have not read this
kevinscorner's review against another edition
3.5
I liked some parts of As the Shadow Rises, but some other parts not so much. I just find it so hard to connect with the book and the characters even though the story is actually pretty good. The book had too many separate threads from so many different characters that we do not get enough of any of them. In all honestly, Hassan’s entire storyline should be scrapped and the essential parts given to other characters. He does not contribute much overall except for this interactions with the Heirophant. Again, Jude and Anton’s sections were the best and most fleshed out. I like Beru and ******’s surprising romance and they just really work. But Ephyra… I just cannot get behind her. She is selfish and foolish and not at all likeable.
marymary91's review against another edition
5.0
I love this series! Love the growth of the characters and their relationships but on top of all that~ the twists and turns are keeping me on my toes and I am LOVING IT!
sophiagerneck's review against another edition
4.0
once again, another great book in this series. and my god the ROMANCEEE KICKED INNN. everything that I have been waiting for between Anton and Jude, or even some other characters, HAPPENED. seriously don’t understand why booktok doesn’t really talk about this book enough.
grey_skiess's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
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
4.0
biancas_library's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
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
4.75
Jude and Anton >>>>>
Honestly, the evolution of their relationship is so so good and perfectly executed. Those two are by far my favorite characters in this series and their respective POVs definitely hold up to the ones in the first book.
Ephyra's POV stepped up so much, I really liked her journey this time around! I really hope that we get to see more of her villainous side and that the author decides to go full on villain-mode with her in the last book. But we'll see.
Beru's POV was kind of a let down for me, even though I do enjoy seeing how everything plays out for her and I am definitely rooting for her to survive this somehow. Also, I really like her and Hector together andI applauded Beru so hard for not going there with Hector and realizing that she's projecting her feelings onto him through their connection. I really do hope they have a future together once their connection is severed.
I'm sad to say that I didn't like Hassan's POV again. I feel like the author doesn't really know what to do with Hassan since he's the king but without special powers. His POV felt kind of all over the place. Maybe his POV will finally evolve in the last installment!
All in all, this sequel was sooo much better than the first book! All that world building finally paid off! Can't wait to continue with the last book!
Honestly, the evolution of their relationship is so so good and perfectly executed. Those two are by far my favorite characters in this series and their respective POVs definitely hold up to the ones in the first book.
Ephyra's POV stepped up so much, I really liked her journey this time around! I really hope that we get to see more of her villainous side and that the author decides to go full on villain-mode with her in the last book. But we'll see.
Beru's POV was kind of a let down for me, even though I do enjoy seeing how everything plays out for her and I am definitely rooting for her to survive this somehow. Also, I really like her and Hector together and
I'm sad to say that I didn't like Hassan's POV again. I feel like the author doesn't really know what to do with Hassan since he's the king but without special powers. His POV felt kind of all over the place. Maybe his POV will finally evolve in the last installment!
All in all, this sequel was sooo much better than the first book! All that world building finally paid off! Can't wait to continue with the last book!
leopardsummer8's review against another edition
5.0
"'I've been running for a long, long time,' Anton said, touching his thumb to Jude's brow. 'And you were the first thing that ever made me want to stay.' ... 'Your Grace called out to me...I found you...That means...I get to keep you'"(404).
Okay, to be fair, all of chapter 44 is, like, one of my favorite chapters of all time.
I still can't decide if I like this book more or less than the first. It's still an amazing book, but I think I liked book one better...except for the ending. The ending of book two is awesome.
The worldbuilding of this series is just incredible to me. I love the Greco-Roman vibes, especially with the map of what's definitely not the Mediterranean Sea. And the characters? I would give so much just to be a part of the little found family.
This series is so underrated it's not fair.
Also, I've read this book at least four times and I still forget that Illya's hair is brown...
Okay, to be fair, all of chapter 44 is, like, one of my favorite chapters of all time.
I still can't decide if I like this book more or less than the first. It's still an amazing book, but I think I liked book one better...except for the ending. The ending of book two is awesome.
The worldbuilding of this series is just incredible to me. I love the Greco-Roman vibes, especially with the map of what's definitely not the Mediterranean Sea. And the characters? I would give so much just to be a part of the little found family.
This series is so underrated it's not fair.
Also, I've read this book at least four times and I still forget that Illya's hair is brown...
bodehoover's review against another edition
5.0
I think this is one of the rare times that the sequel is better than the first book. I loved every moment, especially Jude, Anton, & Ephyra. It's always such a good feeling when you become immersed in a book and don't notice time flying by.