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A review by amburhostyn
Siege of Shadows by Sarah Raughley
4.0
I'm not even sure where to start on this review...SIEGE OF SHADOWS left me reeling! If you're unfamiliar with this book, SIEGE OF SHADOWS is the sequel to FATE OF FLAMES, the first book in Sarah Raughley's Effigies series. Set in an alternate version of our world where spirit-like monsters called phantoms exist and plague the world, the series follows one main character named Maia. Maia is an Effigy, one of four girls with elemental powers able to fight the phantoms. These books have serious Sailor Moon, Pacific Rim, and Buffy vibes, and it's pretty much perfect for readers who love sci-fi or fantasy, action, and fandom of any kind!
I've been eagerly waiting for SIEGE OF SHADOWS ever since I finished FATE OF FLAMES last year because I've been desperate to know what happens next for Maia and the other Effigies! The first book sucked me in with the epic world-building, and that continued with this one. SIEGE OF SHADOWS has a bit of a time jump, but as the description reveals, it does jump right back into the Sect and Effigies search efforts for Saul. While I wouldn't say that the book is non-stop action, this does effectively pull you in right away and everything looming around the characters keeps you riveted to the page!
Just like the first book, some of my favourite parts of SIEGE OF SHADOWS had to do with the girls' abilities, and I also loved seeing how the dynamics of the characters have shifted since the first book. Maia and the other Effigies: Belle, Chae Rin, and Lake, are all finding their rhythm, they're starting to work better as a team, and it was great to see how their relationships have evolved. I especially loved seeing Maia and Lake together! They had a really sweet friendship going on that I absolutely adored! I also loved seeing them all use their powers! I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll keep it vague, but seeing Maia using more of her powers in this book was definitely something that I loved! It was something I wanted to see more of in the first book, so it was definitely great to see in this one.
While I was pulled in quickly, I did feel like the middle part of SIEGE OF SHADOWS dragged a little bit. It felt like the Effigies were often in transit and there was surprisingly a lot more detail on their celebrity and public personas than I was expecting. I did enjoy seeing it, but it also left me wanting a bit more of the main plot, so I felt like I kind of rushed through reading the middle a bit. That being said, there were quite of few other things I did enjoy. I loved seeing more of the Sect and the various people involved in it. I loved seeing more of Rhys...I'm a total Rhys fangirl! I do wish that there had a few more solid answers in SIEGE OF SHADOWS, but as it's the middle book I wasn't expecting to have too many questions answered. :P I believe there's only one more book left now, so I CANNOT wait to see the epic conclusion to this series!
Overall, I really enjoyed SIEGE OF SHADOWS! It definitely left me with more questions than answers (as most middle books in a series do), but I couldn't put it down and I absolutely loved the characters and the world-building! I can't wait to see what happens next in the Effigies series!
I've been eagerly waiting for SIEGE OF SHADOWS ever since I finished FATE OF FLAMES last year because I've been desperate to know what happens next for Maia and the other Effigies! The first book sucked me in with the epic world-building, and that continued with this one. SIEGE OF SHADOWS has a bit of a time jump, but as the description reveals, it does jump right back into the Sect and Effigies search efforts for Saul. While I wouldn't say that the book is non-stop action, this does effectively pull you in right away and everything looming around the characters keeps you riveted to the page!
Just like the first book, some of my favourite parts of SIEGE OF SHADOWS had to do with the girls' abilities, and I also loved seeing how the dynamics of the characters have shifted since the first book. Maia and the other Effigies: Belle, Chae Rin, and Lake, are all finding their rhythm, they're starting to work better as a team, and it was great to see how their relationships have evolved. I especially loved seeing Maia and Lake together! They had a really sweet friendship going on that I absolutely adored! I also loved seeing them all use their powers! I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll keep it vague, but seeing Maia using more of her powers in this book was definitely something that I loved! It was something I wanted to see more of in the first book, so it was definitely great to see in this one.
While I was pulled in quickly, I did feel like the middle part of SIEGE OF SHADOWS dragged a little bit. It felt like the Effigies were often in transit and there was surprisingly a lot more detail on their celebrity and public personas than I was expecting. I did enjoy seeing it, but it also left me wanting a bit more of the main plot, so I felt like I kind of rushed through reading the middle a bit. That being said, there were quite of few other things I did enjoy. I loved seeing more of the Sect and the various people involved in it. I loved seeing more of Rhys...I'm a total Rhys fangirl! I do wish that there had a few more solid answers in SIEGE OF SHADOWS, but as it's the middle book I wasn't expecting to have too many questions answered. :P I believe there's only one more book left now, so I CANNOT wait to see the epic conclusion to this series!
Overall, I really enjoyed SIEGE OF SHADOWS! It definitely left me with more questions than answers (as most middle books in a series do), but I couldn't put it down and I absolutely loved the characters and the world-building! I can't wait to see what happens next in the Effigies series!