Scan barcode
forbearance's review
5.0
So! Siege of Shadows!
I have not reacted this strongly to an urban fantasy/sci-fi YA novel since [b:The Revenge of Seven|19346451|The Revenge of Seven (Lorien Legacies, #5)|Pittacus Lore|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1398024854l/19346451._SY75_.jpg|26378005] came out in 2014 where I physically threw the book across the room. I almost did that here - instead, I just set the book down and mouthed what the fuck and let the twists sink in. Even knowing some of the plot twists from accidentally spoiling myself, I could not believe the reveal. That's the sign of an excellent writer.
This book follows the events of [b:Fate of Flames|28954021|Fate of Flames (Effigies, #1)|Sarah Raughley|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1474198505l/28954021._SX50_.jpg|45592438], as Maia and the other Effigies track down Saul and deal with internal corruption within the Sect. Through this storyline, you learn more about Rhys's history, the fellow Effigies, and the unmatched worldbuilding Sarah Raughley has done.
I fell in love even harder with Rhys throughout this novel. Without spoiling, he and his family are absolutely vital to the events and the world. Raughley answers all the questions you've had. You meet Chae Rin's sister in this book, as well. You learn more about Belle's connection to Natalya and the dynamic the two shared.
What stood out was the world-building, careful reveals, and storytelling that is present throughout this entire novel. I have not seen such care and attention to detail in a long time, if ever. You know how sometimes you read something and go, "Oh, that's foreshadowing?" That doesn't happen here - it's so subtle, you don't realize it until after. The history of the Shadows is fleshed out and the character development is so subtle it's like growing up with friends. I absolutely loved the religious aspect of the world - it is something that would, without a doubt, happen but not many people would have thought of it.
I could ramble on this book forever. Every aspect is perfect. This is one of my new favorite series, and I haven't even finished it.
I have not reacted this strongly to an urban fantasy/sci-fi YA novel since [b:The Revenge of Seven|19346451|The Revenge of Seven (Lorien Legacies, #5)|Pittacus Lore|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1398024854l/19346451._SY75_.jpg|26378005] came out in 2014 where I physically threw the book across the room. I almost did that here - instead, I just set the book down and mouthed what the fuck and let the twists sink in. Even knowing some of the plot twists from accidentally spoiling myself, I could not believe the reveal. That's the sign of an excellent writer.
This book follows the events of [b:Fate of Flames|28954021|Fate of Flames (Effigies, #1)|Sarah Raughley|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1474198505l/28954021._SX50_.jpg|45592438], as Maia and the other Effigies track down Saul and deal with internal corruption within the Sect. Through this storyline, you learn more about Rhys's history, the fellow Effigies, and the unmatched worldbuilding Sarah Raughley has done.
I fell in love even harder with Rhys throughout this novel. Without spoiling, he and his family are absolutely vital to the events and the world. Raughley answers all the questions you've had. You meet Chae Rin's sister in this book, as well. You learn more about Belle's connection to Natalya and the dynamic the two shared.
What stood out was the world-building, careful reveals, and storytelling that is present throughout this entire novel. I have not seen such care and attention to detail in a long time, if ever. You know how sometimes you read something and go, "Oh, that's foreshadowing?" That doesn't happen here - it's so subtle, you don't realize it until after.
Spoiler
One particular instance is how Maia joined Brendon in the Hole to watch the Surgeon torture Vasily. Because of this, she knows what the key card looks like and how to rescue Belle later on.Spoiler
Book one Belle would have never stabbed Maia, but it makes perfect sense in this novel. Chae Rin loves her Effigy sisters, even if she refuses to admit it. Lake is taking risks and charging forward without hesitation.I could ramble on this book forever. Every aspect is perfect. This is one of my new favorite series, and I haven't even finished it.
mitslits's review
1.5
Ughhh. There was a brief moment where this book was actually kind of engaging, thus the half-star bump. But it was very brief, and it didn't make up for the rest of it. Maia continues to be completely unlikable. She is a shred better in this one. At least she uses her powers, which is more than can be said for the first book. They don't seem to serve her well, though, as she still spends quite a chunk of this book whining and running and just being an overall wet blanket.
Also, I don't know what happened with the editing in this book, but it wasn't on point. There's a point where Maia gets shot in the leg, which I don't actually consider a spoiler because this injury never comes back into play. I'm pretty sure it just got forgotten because she never gets it taken care of and is running down stairs in the next scene, so that's cool.
I mentioned this in the review for the first book, but this romance sucks. Aidan/Rhys (seriously, why the two names? Just call the guy you love by his first name) remains boring, boring cardboard. There's zero chemistry here.
The ending is bullshit. I hope Maia is dead and we get some other Effigy to take her place.
Also, I don't know what happened with the editing in this book, but it wasn't on point. There's a point where Maia gets shot in the leg, which I don't actually consider a spoiler because this injury never comes back into play. I'm pretty sure it just got forgotten because she never gets it taken care of and is running down stairs in the next scene, so that's cool.
I mentioned this in the review for the first book, but this romance sucks. Aidan/Rhys (seriously, why the two names? Just call the guy you love by his first name) remains boring, boring cardboard. There's zero chemistry here.
The ending is bullshit. I hope Maia is dead and we get some other Effigy to take her place.
avidan's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This wasn't the greatest book. Everyone kinda says the same thing over and over again to the point where most of the characters get pretty annoying. But there's enough plot points that I still want to see how the series ends, so I'm gonna muddle through it.
sionna's review
3.0
*I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
The ending still has me going "What the hell..." but I think I can pull together some other feelings towards this book.
Many of my feelings are the same the first book. I like the girls v.s. monsters theme, although this book had a lot less fighting and a lot more whining which I'll get to. I was hoping that Maia would have gotten more control over her power -- maybe not Belle level, but couldn't she come close?
I still like the theme of trying to figure out the past in order to protect the future and in this book they really dive into that... a bit, I did wish there had been more, but what we got is pretty good.
Now, the first book I gave 5 stars and this one only 3... most of this is because of the romance and the secrets. Maia is all about the Effigies being a team, working together, maybe being friends, yet she hides practically everything she knows from them --including the stuff about Rhys. She also can't decide how she feels about him, even though it is obvious, which is so aggravating. I don't want to spoil the first book too much, so I won't go into it, but in this book Maia kept whining and not DOING. I wish she had trusted Lake since they are close or even Chae Rin about what to do and told them everything about Natalya's memories.
So because of all the stuff she did wrong, we have an over-dramatic ending. Why? because there is no way-- *sigh* Anyhow, I want more fighting and more understanding, but none of that really happened until the end. I felt I could have skipped half the book and still understood most of it. Well, except for the new type of bad guy but I still don't see their importance *shrugs*
The characters aren't flushing out either since we don't learn more about them. Sometimes the other effigies seemed like placeholders which was weird. Also, Brendan (?) didn't act his age all the time which I found odd, and I'm sorry a grown ass man checking out a teen (I think she's a teen anyhow) is just plain wrong. Yes, someone kinda stepped in, but it just was a creepy moment not addressed.
So, will I read the next book? I might. I am actually interested in the story. I want to know why the effigies exist and if the monsters will ever go away. I don't give two peanuts about the romance which seems underdeveloped and pointless, but I like Saul and want to know more about Nick and Alice.
The ending still has me going "What the hell..." but I think I can pull together some other feelings towards this book.
Many of my feelings are the same the first book. I like the girls v.s. monsters theme, although this book had a lot less fighting and a lot more whining which I'll get to. I was hoping that Maia would have gotten more control over her power -- maybe not Belle level, but couldn't she come close?
I still like the theme of trying to figure out the past in order to protect the future and in this book they really dive into that... a bit, I did wish there had been more, but what we got is pretty good.
Now, the first book I gave 5 stars and this one only 3... most of this is because of the romance and the secrets. Maia is all about the Effigies being a team, working together, maybe being friends, yet she hides practically everything she knows from them --including the stuff about Rhys. She also can't decide how she feels about him, even though it is obvious, which is so aggravating. I don't want to spoil the first book too much, so I won't go into it, but in this book Maia kept whining and not DOING. I wish she had trusted Lake since they are close or even Chae Rin about what to do and told them everything about Natalya's memories.
So because of all the stuff she did wrong, we have an over-dramatic ending. Why? because there is no way-- *sigh* Anyhow, I want more fighting and more understanding, but none of that really happened until the end. I felt I could have skipped half the book and still understood most of it. Well, except for the new type of bad guy but I still don't see their importance *shrugs*
The characters aren't flushing out either since we don't learn more about them. Sometimes the other effigies seemed like placeholders which was weird. Also, Brendan (?) didn't act his age all the time which I found odd, and I'm sorry a grown ass man checking out a teen (I think she's a teen anyhow) is just plain wrong. Yes, someone kinda stepped in, but it just was a creepy moment not addressed.
So, will I read the next book? I might. I am actually interested in the story. I want to know why the effigies exist and if the monsters will ever go away. I don't give two peanuts about the romance which seems underdeveloped and pointless, but I like Saul and want to know more about Nick and Alice.
laurynforrest's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
molokovell0cet's review
4.0
--
*Disclaimer: A copy of Siege Of Shadows by Sarah Raughley was provided to me by Simon & Schuster Canada in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinion in any way.
--
It feels like I just read Fate Of Flames yesterday...but it also doesn't?! On one hand, I still remember everything that happened in the first novel. On the other, it feels like I have ben waiting for this sequel for a while now! I've been eager to find out what happens next with the Effigies and I was so happy when Simon & Schuster Canada provided me with an ARC of Siege of Shadows!
--
What I Liked
The Effigies. I love so many things about the Effigies. I love that they each have their own distinct individual personalities. I love that they're diverse. I love that they have their own unique powers and abilities. Whenever a novel contains multiple characters, it's always nice to see them be so different from one another. This really helps you to remember who each of them are without getting confused. These girls came back stronger and more badass since the first book in the series and I'm so glad that they are as awesome as they were when we first met them!
The antagonists. Yes. Plural. I love a good bad guy. Especially within a story that contains 4 girls that can kick some serious ass! The bad guys are always the characters are always the characters that I am drawn to as they have this sense of mystery to them. I consistently want to know what made them the way they are and what they are truly after! While Fate of Flames had a really great antagonist, Siege of Shadows upped the antagonist game and I absolutely loved that about it!
The Toronto references. We all know that award show was inspired by the MMVAs ;)
That ending though. Um, what?! Excuse me?! How are you just going to end a book like that?! Are you kidding me?! I need to know what happens next NOW please.
--
What I Didn’t Like
A little slow-paced at times. It felt as though the middle section of the novel dragged a little. The beginning of the novel kicked off with an action sequence right off the bat and the end...well, see above for my comments on that ending...but the middle kind of got lost in my opinion. There was a lot mentioned about the Effigies and their stardom and what I was really craving was the action sequences and more villainous drama!
--
Overall, that ending is going to make my mind spin until book three is released! I mean, holy cow? What the heck?! I have no coherent thoughts, I just know I'll be reading book three as soon as it's released!
--
To see my full blog tour post, including a Q&A with Sarah Raughley, click here!
freyawills's review
adventurous
medium-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
2.25
5/10, expected ending + kinda basic
pea_whittey's review
5.0
First I want to say a big thank you to Goodreads, and Simon & Schuster Canada for giving me an early copy of this fantastic story! I was lucky enough to win a Goodreads giveaway, and from the second I got it in the mail I wanted to devour it! I got and read the first book, Fate of Flames, last year when it came out, and devoured that, so I could not wait for the sequel!
This was the perfect sequel to an amazing story! This action packed story had me on the edge of my seat, pretty much, throughout the entirety of the book! My heart was racing, swelling and breaking all at once! Sarah Raughley is an amazing author that makes you want to jump right into the story. You get this great sense of girl power, and sisterhood. I feel like I could defeat anything after reading this book! One of my favourite things about this series so far, apart from the kick-ass female heroines, is that Sarah is able to sneak in little comments about Canada. They always get me to giggle. I would highly recommend this series, and I feel like not many people know about it.
In this book, we got more character development of our bad guy, Saul, and some mysteries that were set up in the first book were lightly touched and starting to unravel. I say only lightly because I think there is a lot that still needs to be explained, and with mysteries, you start with one, then try and figure it out, which revealed 2 more in its place!
I absolutely love all the Effigies; Lake, Maia, Belle and even Chae Rin. I didn't think it was possible for me to like them more than I already did previously, but I do! We get to see how they have grown, and continued to grow, together as a team during the whole book, and they really are like sisters by this point. Sarah does such a great job of giving each girl their own strong personality, and still making it obvious that they are teenagers fighting to save the world, but also fighting to keep themselves alive.
I can't wait for the next book because I need more of this world, and these characters in my life! Sarah still has lots of explaining to do!!
This was the perfect sequel to an amazing story! This action packed story had me on the edge of my seat, pretty much, throughout the entirety of the book! My heart was racing, swelling and breaking all at once! Sarah Raughley is an amazing author that makes you want to jump right into the story. You get this great sense of girl power, and sisterhood. I feel like I could defeat anything after reading this book! One of my favourite things about this series so far, apart from the kick-ass female heroines, is that Sarah is able to sneak in little comments about Canada. They always get me to giggle. I would highly recommend this series, and I feel like not many people know about it.
In this book, we got more character development of our bad guy, Saul, and some mysteries that were set up in the first book were lightly touched and starting to unravel. I say only lightly because I think there is a lot that still needs to be explained, and with mysteries, you start with one, then try and figure it out, which revealed 2 more in its place!
I absolutely love all the Effigies; Lake, Maia, Belle and even Chae Rin. I didn't think it was possible for me to like them more than I already did previously, but I do! We get to see how they have grown, and continued to grow, together as a team during the whole book, and they really are like sisters by this point. Sarah does such a great job of giving each girl their own strong personality, and still making it obvious that they are teenagers fighting to save the world, but also fighting to keep themselves alive.
I can't wait for the next book because I need more of this world, and these characters in my life! Sarah still has lots of explaining to do!!
thewitchwhoreads's review
4.0
I didn’t write a review for the first book but there’s a lot about this series I really like. I enjoy the “magical warrior girls are known celebrities” aspect a lot. I also really enjoy Maia’s journey from fangirl (which I identify with hardcore) to the other side of things. I enjoy the racial diversity and I’m always down for the corrupt organization trope. This second installment was more intense and fast paced than the first and really set the stage for a very exciting climax. There was a surprise I didn’t quite see coming which is hard to pull off, and the romance doesn’t feel forced. If I have a complaint it would be that some of the themes are a bit juvenile and the plot a bit to simple but I recognize that I am much older than the characters and the target audience so that kind of thing is bound to miss the mark with me. Overall I really enjoy this series. It’s funny and exciting and it has a lot of heart. I can’t wait for the last book!
sparky_young_upstart's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0