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3.46 AVERAGE
3.46 AVERAGE
First off I would like to thank the author and publisher for this free/advance copy in return for an honest review.
I loved this! Simply, but cleverly, written, Analiese Rising had me gripped from the moment she touched the frog!
I love the story, the characters - especially Analiese and Marek - are very likeable, and relatable, and you will be kept guessing as to whose loyalty lies where as you are introduced to others
In our world, where Gods and other Beings walk among us, I found an intriguing use of lesser known Gods, and I adored Drakes imagining of them.
Having been to Rome, the city was brought vividly to life and I have never wanted to visit Paris more (having just read Grim Lovelies prior to this I feel I know it well and I've never been!)
The conclusion, came swiftly - and left me with just enough questions that I am hoping for more, but could live with this ending as it does!
I can best describe this book as the teenage lovechild of Neil Gaiman's American Gods and Dan Brown's Robert Langdon stories which in my opinion is perfect!
Highly recommended, especially for fans of mythology and puzzles, and I will be adding to my list of "I hope there is a sequel (or 3)" books I want to read!
I loved this! Simply, but cleverly, written, Analiese Rising had me gripped from the moment she touched the frog!
I love the story, the characters - especially Analiese and Marek - are very likeable, and relatable, and you will be kept guessing as to whose loyalty lies where as you are introduced to others
In our world, where Gods and other Beings walk among us, I found an intriguing use of lesser known Gods, and I adored Drakes imagining of them.
Having been to Rome, the city was brought vividly to life and I have never wanted to visit Paris more (having just read Grim Lovelies prior to this I feel I know it well and I've never been!)
The conclusion, came swiftly - and left me with just enough questions that I am hoping for more, but could live with this ending as it does!
I can best describe this book as the teenage lovechild of Neil Gaiman's American Gods and Dan Brown's Robert Langdon stories which in my opinion is perfect!
Highly recommended, especially for fans of mythology and puzzles, and I will be adding to my list of "I hope there is a sequel (or 3)" books I want to read!
I feel bad about saying this, but truthfully I had to force myself to finish this book. I had such high hopes but unfortunately none of them were met.
First of all I was under the impression that this story was a YA, but personally I think it would be much better if it was marketed to a younger audience (middle grade maybe?).
I didn't like the characters (surprise surprise, I'm too picky in this aspect I know, but I have read other reviews agreeing that the main character is far too childish). Also I understand that the story needs a love-line but I swear it got shoved into the story in every other line, it's far too annoying (I understand that your main characters are attracted to each other but can they leave that to some time when their lives aren't in danger?!) The writing was decent enough, but had nothing special to it. The storyline is an ok enough start to a series however I will most likely not continue to read it.
First of all I was under the impression that this story was a YA, but personally I think it would be much better if it was marketed to a younger audience (middle grade maybe?).
I didn't like the characters (surprise surprise, I'm too picky in this aspect I know, but I have read other reviews agreeing that the main character is far too childish). Also I understand that the story needs a love-line but I swear it got shoved into the story in every other line, it's far too annoying (I understand that your main characters are attracted to each other but can they leave that to some time when their lives aren't in danger?!) The writing was decent enough, but had nothing special to it. The storyline is an ok enough start to a series however I will most likely not continue to read it.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Whew. This is one of those books that leaves me feeling soooo exhausted after reading it. In an incredibly good way, of course. Brenda Drake has written a rich, intriguing adventure in Analiese Rising that will surely make readers exhilarated with every flip of a page.
Our main character, Analiese, together with the strangely charming Marek, goes on the hunt for whatever the heck Marek's grandfather wanted them to find. With the cryptic clues and no one to trust but each other, would they survive the they find themselves smack right in the middle of?
This book revolves around mythology, and once I saw that on the synopsis, I couldn't have hit the request button fast enough! And as if that's not good enough, this wasn't focused or set on one particular culture or time period, but it involves different mythologies around the world instead. It was so much fun to read about the gods and goddesses from different cultures, and to see them in the light of the author's story. (Oh, and also, I may or may not have screamed at the mention of Philippine mythology. Sue me, I just don't know any other books like this. *wink wink*)
With regards to the plot, I was not disappointed at all! Their excursion was full of surprises which always keeps me on my toes, especially since all of it leads to back-to-back discoveries. And the main character was one I've come to feel for. Analiese wasn't the most ideal protagonist for this but that's exactly why I liked her. It must be so hard to have been plunged in this quest without having an inkling of what it holds. And it wasn't even her own quest to begin with, for Pete's sake! But I admire Analiese as she never gave up despite the constant panic attacks, despite the uncertainty of what lies ahead, despite the danger she knows will inevitably catch up to them. And although I do think that the book could have done with a little less romance (i.e. Analiese checking Marek out), I understand that they are scared out of their wits and need each other to hold onto.
The only downside for me was the ending. It left me quite... unsettled. I certainly wasn't expecting that and I feel like I needed something more. And there was the writing style too; halting and dull sometimes but I didn't really mind as the plot won me over. Overall, I really did enjoy this book. I recommend this one if you're looking for an adventure!
Whew. This is one of those books that leaves me feeling soooo exhausted after reading it. In an incredibly good way, of course. Brenda Drake has written a rich, intriguing adventure in Analiese Rising that will surely make readers exhilarated with every flip of a page.
Our main character, Analiese, together with the strangely charming Marek, goes on the hunt for whatever the heck Marek's grandfather wanted them to find. With the cryptic clues and no one to trust but each other, would they survive the they find themselves smack right in the middle of?
This book revolves around mythology, and once I saw that on the synopsis, I couldn't have hit the request button fast enough! And as if that's not good enough, this wasn't focused or set on one particular culture or time period, but it involves different mythologies around the world instead. It was so much fun to read about the gods and goddesses from different cultures, and to see them in the light of the author's story. (Oh, and also, I may or may not have screamed at the mention of Philippine mythology. Sue me, I just don't know any other books like this. *wink wink*)
With regards to the plot, I was not disappointed at all! Their excursion was full of surprises which always keeps me on my toes, especially since all of it leads to back-to-back discoveries. And the main character was one I've come to feel for. Analiese wasn't the most ideal protagonist for this but that's exactly why I liked her. It must be so hard to have been plunged in this quest without having an inkling of what it holds. And it wasn't even her own quest to begin with, for Pete's sake! But I admire Analiese as she never gave up despite the constant panic attacks, despite the uncertainty of what lies ahead, despite the danger she knows will inevitably catch up to them. And although I do think that the book could have done with a little less romance (i.e. Analiese checking Marek out), I understand that they are scared out of their wits and need each other to hold onto.
The only downside for me was the ending. It left me quite... unsettled. I certainly wasn't expecting that and I feel like I needed something more. And there was the writing style too; halting and dull sometimes but I didn't really mind as the plot won me over. Overall, I really did enjoy this book. I recommend this one if you're looking for an adventure!
*I received a copy of this through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinions. All opinions are my own.*
I went into this so excited. The idea behind it sounded amazing. There's adventure and mythology which immediately had me sold. However, I ended up DNF at 24%. This was only because of the writing. It just isn't working for me. If the writing were better (in my opinion) I think I could love this. It reminded me of the DaVinci Code a little, in the heroes find clues and travel off an adventure to find out the meaning behind it all type of way. I'm really disappointed that I didn't like the writing more. But as a reminder, just because it didn't work for me doesn't mean it won't work for you too.
I went into this so excited. The idea behind it sounded amazing. There's adventure and mythology which immediately had me sold. However, I ended up DNF at 24%. This was only because of the writing. It just isn't working for me. If the writing were better (in my opinion) I think I could love this. It reminded me of the DaVinci Code a little, in the heroes find clues and travel off an adventure to find out the meaning behind it all type of way. I'm really disappointed that I didn't like the writing more. But as a reminder, just because it didn't work for me doesn't mean it won't work for you too.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley*
This story is about a girl named Analiese who finds her name on a list given to her by a stranger, which leads her to the strangers grandson and sends them on quest for answers. Ana finds out she's a "riser" and is able to raise the dead with just a touch. Seems pretty cool until she realizes this puts her right in the middle of a war between Gods.
If mythology is your thing, this book is for you. You'll meet a lot of gods in this book, and I like the take on the war between the powerful gods and the lesser gods. There's a ton of action and adventure in this book as Analiese and Marek try to solve the mystery of how to stop the war and save themselves.
I will say this book felt a little more middle grade to me. Ana is a very young acting 16 and the romance aspect felt super one sided and gushy up until the book was almost over. Part of this is simply because we see the story through Ana's eyes, but it still would've been nice to get a better read on Marek. I would've loved to see more of Dalton, Ana's brother. But the set up for the next book looks like we'll see more of him.
I will say I appreciate the representation in this book. Sometimes authors seem to stick LGBT characters in the books and give them exaggerated stories to let you know they're LGBT, but this book really does weave these characters in seamlessly and without fuss. The main romance is M/F, but the LGBT couples are a part of the entire tapestry, as it should be.
Overall, this book was okay for me. It has potential to get better with the trilogy, so I'm hoping that's what happens here. If you love mythology and lots of action, definitely give it a read!
This story is about a girl named Analiese who finds her name on a list given to her by a stranger, which leads her to the strangers grandson and sends them on quest for answers. Ana finds out she's a "riser" and is able to raise the dead with just a touch. Seems pretty cool until she realizes this puts her right in the middle of a war between Gods.
If mythology is your thing, this book is for you. You'll meet a lot of gods in this book, and I like the take on the war between the powerful gods and the lesser gods. There's a ton of action and adventure in this book as Analiese and Marek try to solve the mystery of how to stop the war and save themselves.
I will say this book felt a little more middle grade to me. Ana is a very young acting 16 and the romance aspect felt super one sided and gushy up until the book was almost over. Part of this is simply because we see the story through Ana's eyes, but it still would've been nice to get a better read on Marek. I would've loved to see more of Dalton, Ana's brother. But the set up for the next book looks like we'll see more of him.
I will say I appreciate the representation in this book. Sometimes authors seem to stick LGBT characters in the books and give them exaggerated stories to let you know they're LGBT, but this book really does weave these characters in seamlessly and without fuss. The main romance is M/F, but the LGBT couples are a part of the entire tapestry, as it should be.
Overall, this book was okay for me. It has potential to get better with the trilogy, so I'm hoping that's what happens here. If you love mythology and lots of action, definitely give it a read!
* I was provided an ARC of this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
I had a difficult time staying in this story. I didn't really connect with the character or care much for the plot line. It was just an alright read. There is just something about the main character analiese that just couldn't keep me connected. I think this would be a decent starter book if someone is trying to get more into this genre.