A review by lilybear
The Rising by Kristen Ashley

4.0

Definitely a captivating series. It just barely qualifies as adventure but still a captivating series. After waiting so long for the great evil to rise and threaten the earth we get an exciting battle with magic, dragons, and zombies. Then its over cause romantic stuff has to happen. Urgh!! I really felt done with the four couples and their nauseatingly sweet lovey doveyness. I would rather cut on the romance and have a full on war against the forces of evil. Not a tiny little battle. And!!! *Minor spoilers ahead* After all the belly aching of the prophecized couples and how their budding love will save the world NONE of them dealt the killing blow. No that honor was saved for a side character who had a death flag on their head since book 2. It's like if in GOT if Potpie wound up killing the Night King. It really took away from the main characters and plot. Why a prophecy about royal couples if any brave smuck can just take the demon down? I loved that smuck with ever fiber of my heart and super bummed he died, but what was the point of the prophecy if none of the royals thwarted the demon with their 'love'?? "Prophecy says they must make sacrifices to overcome the beast". Its called compromise, every couple does it. And it does nothing to thwart evil demons. I knew it sounded like bull that luuurve would save the world, but I thought there would be some corny pretense at least. The fact of it is, this book has the exciting shiny exterior of a fantasy adventure but the sugary nougat filling of a harlequin romance. So if you bite into it with adventure in your head your going to be disappointed. It was a nice journey and I'm grateful it didn't end on a cliffhanger but oh it could've been so much greater.